A long, long time ago, back when people went to see movies in crowded theaters, I saw the move " The Color of Pomegranates ," whic...
A long, long time ago, back when people went to see movies in crowded theaters, I saw the move "The Color of Pomegranates," which on IMDB.com is described as "One of cinema's greatest masterpieces." I'll take their word for it, but it didn't move me tears. I did not grasp all of the scenes surrounding this fruit. However, pomegranates are not just a new age tonic, they have been part of our culture(s) for a long time. Humans have been cultivating this fruit for as long as we have had villages.
Pomegranates have been found in Egyptian tombs and in the buried layers of the walls of ancient Jericho. In some cultures it was medicinal and even today is considered part of a healthy diet.
Pomegranates are featured in rites of several religions. In Greek Mythology Persephone's consumption of these seeds from the underworld required her to spend time in the underworld each year, during which her mother Demeter was too sad to fertilize the earth, thus the seasons.
I did not experience a pomegranate seed until I lived overseas. Surprising as Southern California is the largest grower of pomegranates in the US. The Spanish were the first to introduce pomegranates to California.
To the uninitiated, the fruit with its hard exterior looks intimidating, but it is not. Slice the fruit and remove the seeds in a bowl of water. The seeds sink, and the rind/flesh that had surrounded the seeds rise to the top.
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| Pomegranate Buds |
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| The pomegranate is on the right |
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| Ripping fruit |
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