Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a round, thick-skinned fruit filled with ruby arils surrounding crunchy seeds. It tastes sweet-tart with a winey edge, and the arils burst with juice while the seeds add a light crunch. Use it to sprinkle over salads and desserts, press for juice, or reduce the juice into tangy syrups and glazes; sold whole or as prepped arils and bottled juice.

Cultivated since antiquity from the region of modern Iran and the Himalayas, it spread across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and South Asia and later to the Americas. Major North American production centers on California’s fall harvest, with additional supply from Mediterranean and Southern Hemisphere growers.