Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Pomegranates have arrived!

The POMEGRANATES have arrived
Heavens!
It's only September for Gawd's sake
Usually they show up in time for Thankgiving tabletop decorations...
I fell in love with pomegranates in Venice about 4 years ago...
So romantic no?
But you don't have to go to Venice to get a pomie.
You can go to your unexciting Key Foods market!
They were mad for pomegranates in the 17th century too.
And they didn't even know about flavanoids and antioxideants.
I saw this gorgeous painting by Saraceni at the 2003 Natura Morta exhibit in Florence.
These pomies are by Cristoforo Munari.
They are sitting beside quinces, which I have yet to try...
In the good old days pomegranetes were symbols of fertility and richness.
This relief is by da Firenze. I don't know why we had to wait 500+ years to wake up to the power of pomegranates?
I woke up 4 years ago and now I never get a winter cold,
as long as I down a few seeds (arils) daily.
My family used to say a blessing over the first fruit of spring.
Well I'm saying a blessing over Fall's first pomegranates.
While my co-workers are sniffling and snuffling, I will be cold-free thanks to the all-mighty Pom.
There's always pomegranate tea if you can't bear the thought of those seeds. Hmmm...I would love to know
why are there NO POMEGRANATE MACARONS?
Please get a pomegranate and try one!

36 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:09 AM

    You KNOW I'm a big fan!
    I LOVE today's post.
    xAnnie

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  2. Anonymous11:11 AM

    These paintings are out of this world! Lucky you to have made it to Florence for that show. have the catalog and it is to die for.
    I'll try eating a pomie very soon.
    Promise :)

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  3. There's a proverb in Hindi - ek anaar sau bimaar: one pomegranate (anaar) [cures] one hundred illnesses. It's the Hindi equivalent of 'an apple a day...' Fresh pomegranate juice is luscious :)

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  4. Anonymous11:30 AM

    Carol you've beat me to it! I was going to do a post on my overflowing Pomegranate tree today, and now I find this! Wonderful!!!

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  5. Double, double, triple WOW! :) I just posted "Juicy Fruit", but this takes my breath away. Must run to the market and grab some up. Love that wash on your pommie. Kudos, major kudos.

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  6. Cleopatra used to use these gems to make her lips red.
    Fabulous.
    Love Jeanne

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  7. Wonderful post today. I LOVE pomegranates. I use to pick & eat the seeds out of them right off the tree when I was a kid. My Aunt & Uncle had pomegranate tree's on their property. They sure could stain clothes tho. :0 She would make WONDERFUL jelly every year & share it with us. They got to old to keep up a big yard & sold up a few years ago... all she really misses are those pomegranate trees & her jelly.
    Love ALL the paintings.
    Thanks for the flash back to my childhood. And the 'cold' hint!

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  8. We absolutely adore Pomegranates..Love cutting them in sections and eating them bit by bit...

    Your paintings are amazing...Lovely.

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  9. Great post! My hubby said yesterday, "Pomegranates are back in the stores. Gotta go get some". We love them in salads, especially. Now, after reading your post, I'm really craving them!

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  10. Beautiful paintings as usual. And you know, I've been thinking about what flavor macaron would take pomegranate molasses in the ganache inside. I don't think you can make the shells with them (unless you know the perfect macaron secret like Pierre Hermé) because of the acid in them but I'm sure a ganache can be made, so now what flavor should the shell be?

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  11. I LOVE pomegranates! Have you seen my pomegranate necklace? I have to get to the market and get some of the real thing now that you've whet my appetite!

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  12. Beautiful paintings - your colours are such a joy, your technique impressive. I've painted pomegranates in oils but never watercolours... this has set me thinking...

    The post about your first Macaroon has prompted a post in response from me... the macaroon virgin!
    :-) Elizabeth

    Elizabeth

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  13. Anonymous3:59 PM

    I have found some macarons "à la rose" set with eastern fruit (including pomegranate)... will that do, Carol?

    http://www.interflora.fr/cadeau/flora/flora_recette.htm?menu=/html/recette_fev07_macaron_rose.html&opt=NEW&titre=Macaron%20rose%20et%20framboise

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  14. Anonymous6:22 PM

    What a wonderful pomegranate painting!
    It glows...but then so does everything you paint!
    The nice thing about living in the Mojave~
    I have a pomegranate tree. It's very little and new, but last year...seven pomegranates.
    I had high hopes for this year, it was covered with flowers...but no fruit. Hmmm. We'll see what happens next year.

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  15. Anonymous6:26 PM

    yesterday I saw a "bâton de dynamite", today a "grenade".
    Will you serve a "bombe" tomorrow? :-)
    Thanks for the lovely tea
    Kris

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  16. Anonymous6:27 PM

    I noticed a lady with a crate of pomies checking out of our local Costco store.
    Maybe your cold prevention idea has given me an idea for those crates.
    Thanks for the tip.

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  17. never seen them in the markets here but do see them on people's trees in their yards. I guess I should ask them for one!

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  18. I adore pmegranites-the color, the flavor, the texture. I usually manage to stain my fingers dark red, if not what I am wearing. I've heard they are also very good for prostatic health so I try to get my husband to eat them but he remains puzzled by my enthusiasm.

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  19. Anonymous9:56 PM

    I can never get them with the foliage attached! However, I have a hot tip on how to dry them (doesn't everyone want dried pomegranates?): Keep them in your refrigerator for a year - not in the fruit bin, but on the shelves, and in about a year, Voila! Dried pomegranates suitable for tableaux.
    Not as good as your painting of them. :-(
    Got to run - Costco closes soon!

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  20. Anonymous11:10 PM

    I always enjoy your pomegranate paintings--they're just such an interesting looking fruit. Love your image of them on the plate with the curvy handwriting--looks great!

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  21. Pomegranates are gorgeous - I knew your paintings would do them justice!
    I've made pomegranate sorbet but not a macaron - now you have me thinking!

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  22. Lucky you, I'm eagerly waiting for them to arrive here! I LOVE POMEGRANATES! Thanks for letting me see some!

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  23. I HEART pomegranates. I saw some in the stores last week too! Thanks for sharing all that pomegranate art :-)

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  24. now do you eat the seeds...make tea from them...i am interested in the health benefits...off to research...blessings, rebecca

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  25. Read abt Pmegranates in a previous post of yours and began eating them. I felt oh so healthier.Thanks for reminding me abt them. Love your painting of the pomegranite.

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  26. Anonymous9:14 AM

    Pomegranates ward of colds? I WILL try a pomegranate this year! I love the colour of that fruit - so vivid, so lush, so sensual.

    PS - I found you through Britt-Arnhild's blog.

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  27. Cre8Tiva
    I do eat the SEEDS!
    It took me a few years to be able to.
    Before I just chewed on them...Eeep.
    But it's easy and no ill effects.
    The juice has never done a thing for me..odd?

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  28. Anonymous4:19 AM

    What a delicious juicy post! Your painting on top is full of depth and beauty!

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  29. Anonymous12:53 PM

    Was introduced to pomegranates as a very young child, and just adored it. I even like the cordial one can make from it, called grenadine; used to make lovely drinks with it, so refreshing in summer! As for eating them fresh, I have to admit the seeds used to roll 'round my mouth while I sucked off the flesh/juice, yummy!
    gorgeous paintings, as usual, carol.

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  30. I had my first pomegranate of the year yesterday...pomegranate macarons? Are you giving me a challenge...Haha!

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  31. Ladurée is so inspiring!

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  32. I love pomegranates - on all levels. They are amazing to look at, yummy to eat, and so layered in mythical reference. Lovely painting...

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  33. Yes, the pomegranates were early this
    year. When a favorite (french) cousin
    Corey was here in August we had pink pomegranates ripe and sweet. We were so inspired to begin a blog we chose
    pinkpomegranate. I love all your information and blog on the pomegranate it's great. Your art is wonderful too.
    P.S. Corey's fairy godmother loves your whit looking forward to your blog I'll be back

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  34. Pomegranates are among my favourite fruits, too. Maybe that's because I was born in their season. Seeing the prices in Paris, I realise I am lucky to have a huge supply of them for free, as the pomegranate trees grows very well in our climate and we have some of them in the orchard.
    Have ever tasted any fruit right from the tree? There's a big difference in aroma, flavour...

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  35. Anonymous5:29 PM

    Pomegranates, the best fruit since sliced bread. Well, sliced bread is much worse for you than this amazingly flavorful fruit that I consume on a semi-regular basis. Maybe five a week now. Just amazing fruits.

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