Originating in Iran, pomegranates have been grown for thousands of years. I can remember picking the ripe fruit off my grandfather’s tree to enjoy as a summer treat. The arils and juice can be used for a variety of recipes, both sweet, savoury and alcoholic. This pomegranate concentrate can be used as the base for many recipes, including my pomegranate scones, salad dressings and savoury dishes.
I always tell bloggers who are stressed about their online world that life comes before blogging. And really, life should come before anything. It is important to live in the moment and take time out to spend with friends. When asked if I would rather stop mid session at gym and go for a beer I did not need to think twice. It was a beautiful winters’ afternoon. The sun was shining and a friend wanted to talk. We had an amazing afternoon chatting away and I told him life is too short. It is too short to not do what we enjoy. We should make the most of each amazing day we are given and do what we love. We should not be stressed by the little things. Rather we should celebrate them. I hope that the afternoon we had together ends in a place he wants to be.
Life is also too short to juice pomegranates. Rumour has it that there are 614 arils in the fruit. If anyone feels like counting them, please let me know. One pomegranate will yield about 125mls of juice. And you have to take care not to rub the pith into the juice as that will make it bitter. So, for this recipe for pomegranate concentrate I used store bought juice. Make sure if you do the same that it is 100% pomegranate juice.
I am passionate about using regional, seasonable and sustainable produce when I cook. I live in Gordons Bay with my husband and dogs. We visit new places locally and overseas as often as we can to experience the food of the area. Follow along on our adventures!
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I can think of a million things this would be amazing in! And it doesn’t seem difficult to make at home. I’ll have to play around with this — some pomegranate peach breakfast muffins sound delicious.
This looks amazing! I love pomegranates! They’re so delicious! Also, how sweet that you have memories picking them from your grandpa’s tree! So fun!
xoxo Cailee!
I couldn’t agree more with you, life is too short and we need to make the most of it, and spend it wisely to those things the mostly matters to us. And to me that would be my family and friends above all else 🙂
Pomegranate is not indigenous to where I live, mostly what we have here are imported ones from other countries and would sell at a premium price. Nice one on that aril counting challenge, I would have accepted it if I had one available, but then I would be wasting a perfectly good time 😉
Leaving the gym to go for a beer…. Tandy you are a woman after my own heart! I have many pomegranate molasses and squeezed my own fruit…. it takes forever and yields very little!
So true – life is for living and enjoying, not about fake booking/fake blogging. I love pomegranates, too, but don’t eat them so often and had no idea to avoid the pith when juicing. Thank you for the tips.
Amazing that your grandfather had a tree, usually for us pomegranates can be hard to find and a super special treat. I agree about the seeds, very tricky to actually get any juice out of them! I remember my kids really enjoying them when they were younger and ending up with vibrant juice all over themselves. Yum!
Great recipe, Tandy!
Thanks Liz 🙂
I can think of a million things this would be amazing in! And it doesn’t seem difficult to make at home. I’ll have to play around with this — some pomegranate peach breakfast muffins sound delicious.
That sounds delicious indeed 🙂
Tandy I too would much rather give up the gym to have a drink!! Life is too short 😀
Glad we are on the same page here!
I have never made pomegranate concentrate and this looks like a nice recipe. I should give it a go sometime.
Hope you do Anu 🙂
This looks amazing! I love pomegranates! They’re so delicious! Also, how sweet that you have memories picking them from your grandpa’s tree! So fun!
xoxo Cailee!
It was a lot of fun Cailee 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with you, life is too short and we need to make the most of it, and spend it wisely to those things the mostly matters to us. And to me that would be my family and friends above all else 🙂
Pomegranate is not indigenous to where I live, mostly what we have here are imported ones from other countries and would sell at a premium price. Nice one on that aril counting challenge, I would have accepted it if I had one available, but then I would be wasting a perfectly good time 😉
I am also not going to waste my time counting them 😉
Think I needed to read your words of advice today Tandy. I have deep respect for a person who leaves a gym session for a beer 🙂
Hope you went and did something that was good for you!
Leaving the gym to go for a beer…. Tandy you are a woman after my own heart! I have many pomegranate molasses and squeezed my own fruit…. it takes forever and yields very little!
I would rather go for a drink that squeeze pomegranate juice!
Great recipe, Tandy. I like the sound of pomegranate scones. Who sells pure pomegranate juice these days?
Woolworths sells the pure juice 🙂
I can’t imagine juicing a pomegranate, seems like a lot of hard work, love this concentrate Tandy.
That is what I thought!
I love cooking with pom, it has the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity though most of the time I end up eating them as such!
I don’t eat that much fruit anymore Prateek 🙂
So true – life is for living and enjoying, not about fake booking/fake blogging. I love pomegranates, too, but don’t eat them so often and had no idea to avoid the pith when juicing. Thank you for the tips.
My pleasure Serina 🙂
Amazing that your grandfather had a tree, usually for us pomegranates can be hard to find and a super special treat. I agree about the seeds, very tricky to actually get any juice out of them! I remember my kids really enjoying them when they were younger and ending up with vibrant juice all over themselves. Yum!
I think as kids that is part of the fun 🙂
I love a tricky, cheaty recipe! Yes, life is definitely too short to juice pomegranates.
For sure!