Description
Pomegranates
Description/Taste
Pomegranates are small to medium-sized fruits, averaging 6 to 13 centimeters in diameter, and have a round, block-like appearance with faintly squared shoulders and a multi-pointed calyx at the top of the fruit. The skin, also known as the exocarp, is firm, leathery, tough, thick, and shiny, ranging in color from dark red, white, yellow, pink to dark purple, almost black. Underneath the surface, thick, spongy, and fibrous white membranes, or the mesocarp, encase many small, tightly compacted seeds into multiple chambers. Each seed is generally red or white, angular, and hard or soft, contributing a crunchy consistency, and is enveloped in a translucent, fleshy coating known as the aril. The translucent aril is lightly pigmented with a red, white, or pale pink hue, depending on the variety, and contains flavorful juice. Pomegranates should feel heavy for their size, and the surface can be easily scratched when ripe. The seeds and arils are the only portions of the fruit consumed, contributing a sweet-tart taste with tangy, fruity, and mildly acidic notes combined with rhubarb, cranberry, grape, and red currant nuances.