Pomegranates

The pomegranate was introduced into Florida by the Spanish no later than the sixteenth century. Almost all of the American crop now comes from the San Joaquin Valley of California, where hot, dry summers mature sweet, attractive fruit. The main commercial variety is the modestly named Wonderful, propagated in 1896 from a Florida cutting. Since the 1990s plantings in California have increased eightfold to 24,500, as the fruit has enjoyed a vogue for its perceived health benefits. The season for fresh fruit runs from August through December, peaking in October and November. Pomegranates are used for decoration, eaten fresh (a rather messy affair), and juiced; the juice is used for making jelly, sorbet, cool drinks similar to lemonade, and a kind of wine.