The Pomegranate – Worldwide

Pomegranates feature in the cuisine and customs of cultures worldwide. Modern day Greeks traditionally break a pomegranate at weddings as a symbol of fertility, while a sugared version of the seed is eaten to bless newly-weds in China.

Central Asian and Middle Eastern cooks always keep a supply of the fruit to hand. In Azerbaijan they serve a pomegranate sauce called Narsharab with sturgeon fillet, and in Georgia they use the seeds as a salad garnish or to flavour meat dishes. In Iran, concentrated pomegranate juice is mixed with ground walnuts, onions and duck or chicken to create wonderfully rich Fesenjan.

Pomegranate juice has now become a popular drink in Europe and the USA, where discerning consumers have been quick to recognise its unique combination of zestful flavour and health-enhancing nutrients.