[Sca-cooks] Persephone and pomegranite seeds

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

Something else it has been a symbol for forever is fertility.  Not only is
it a fruit (fertil right there), it has the multiple seeds like an ovary
(interesting since they didn't have a clear picture of that in antiquity),
and it is red like blood.
Add to that a fact I recently found out during a lecture on Women's Health
issues, the juice of the pommegranate is very high in bioflavinoids, and
helps the fertility process in young women.  It is actually
counter-indicated in pre-menopausal women because it affects hormones to the
point of increasing the risks of breast cancer.  (Only for women past the
main fertility cycles.)  So, talk about the question of which came first -
but this is one food that not only symbolizes fertility, it actively helps
it along!
Christianna

-----Original Message-----
From: sca-cooks-bounces+kingstaste=mindspring.com at ansteorra.org
[mailto:sca-cooks-bounces+kingstaste=mindspring.com at ansteorra.org]On
Behalf Of Johnna Holloway
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 9:11 AM
To: Cooks within the SCA
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Persephone and pomegranite seeds


I am sure you've seen them. You've just not known what
they were. Search pomegranate under google images and there are
all sorts of photos. Ignore the girl advrtising Juicy Couture Smocked Tub..!

Here's a good description from the BBC

Pomegranate
Originating in Asia, the pomegranate tree is mentioned in the Old
Testament and has been a symbol of religious significance for centuries
in many countries. Now cultivated in the warm climates of South America,
the Middle East, the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean, the fruit is
available in Britain from early to mid-winter. About the size of a large
orange, it has a leathery skin with a blush of yellow and red. Inside
there is spongy pith filled with seeds, which are, in turn, surrounded
by a juicy, ruby red pulp. Eating a pomegranate can be a lengthy process
as each pip has to be individually extracted, the juicy pulp eaten and
the pips discarded (although they can be eaten if you find this too
fiddly). The easiest way to extract the juice is by crushing the seeds
through a sieve with the back of a ladle. This can be used to flavour
mousse, fool, ice cream or sorbet. Grenadine is pomegranate syrup; it is
great in drinks and is a good addition to the cocktail cabinet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/in_season/december.shtml

Johnnae

Stefan li Rous wrote:

> So pomegranites were known in Italy and Greece in classical times? Or
> has the meaning of this name changed through the centuries and been
> applied to different fruits? I don't think I've even seen a
> pomegranite. The seeds are edible?
>
>
_______________________________________________
Sca-cooks mailing list
Sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/sca-cooks