Twylla Alexander
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My Unlikely Favorite Fruit

11/6/2017

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PictureOlga Strougovshikova, artist, Tivat, Montenegro
Pomegranates! I never even saw a pomegranate until I was fifty-something, browsing in an open-air market in Cairo. I picked one up, sniffed, and rolled it between my palms until the shopkeeper, who had no doubt seen this clueless behavior before said, "Can I help you, madam?"
"What is this?"  I asked.
After a few quick squeezes to soften the skin, he pressed his fingers firmly into the leathery fruit and pulled it apart. Red popped out in all directions. Brilliant, shiny red - of poppies and rubies, cardinals and lipstick.
"Try," he said.
"What? The seeds?" 
I could tell his patience was wearing thin; so I picked one, one lonely seed from a mound of hundreds.
That's all it took. The mostly sweet, slightly sour juice burst into my mouth as I crunched the kernel.
I bought that one, three more and came back each week for a fresh supply.
    

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​So you can imagine my excitement when I arrived in Montenegro to find pomegranate trees in almost every yard, scattered through open fields and along remote hiking trails. A neighbor kindly shared a handful of her tree's abundance, and I've spent the last hour removing seeds.
​Pomegranates make me work for their goodness.        
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I've watched multiple de-seeding methods on youTube, some decidedly faster like the hit-them-with-a-wooden-spoon method; but I prefer the more meditative cut-them-open/pick-out-the seeds technique. Fifteen minutes may tick by as I stand contentedly at the kitchen counter – working on one pomegranate – sleeves rolled up to my elbows and dishcloth tucked in my collar to evade the juice squirts that speckle everything in sight.    
But the reward is worth the wait . . . that is, if I can successfully wait. The temptation is great to pop a few along the way. Just one seed here, a handful there.
Excuse me – sorry to eat in front of you. Come to Montenegro, and I'll share.
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2 Comments
vanda link
11/7/2017 06:28:52 am

Meditative, not me. Just scoop them out in a bowl and and devour.
We were told, on a tour in Jerusalem, that the pomegranate has 613 seeds, which corresponds with the 613 commandments of the Torah. Next time please count and we can credit the scholar that shared this knowledge.

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Twylla
11/7/2017 07:55:33 am

I like your method, too, Vanda! That's fascinating about the 613 seeds. Don't think I'll put it to a test, though. 😉

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    ​After writing my books, Labyrinth Journeys ~ 50 States, 51 Stories and The Power of Bread, I knew I wasn't finished writing, or journeying. 
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    ~Twylla Alexander

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