Pomegranates Pick of the week Harris Farm Mosman

POMEGRANATES 

are a fantastic versatile fruit that are becoming increasingly popular with the Australian public. We are at the start of the Australian season which lasts from mid-Autumn to the end of Winter, and they can be grown pretty well anywhere in Australia. They are a very ancient fruit originating in the Eastern Mediterranean regions and found for thousands of years in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. It’s been a tough road for Aussie producers, for 25 years anyone who invested heavily went broke, but now, we seem to really appreciate this fruit. David Harris

Pomegranate Dressing – Prepare 1 pomegranate (cut it in half - juice one half to yield 1 tbsp juice after removing some of the seeds to retain with seeds from the other half.)  Combine 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with 2 tsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tbsp pomegranate juice; a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt & cracked pepper. 

Use the remaining seeds to scatter over a salad. to add colour amongst the dark leaves of spinach or rocket along with toasted nuts and crumbled feta.

Extract from 'ALFRESHCO, foreshore flavour'

Other ways to use this versatile fruit

1. EAT AS A SNACK  — just need a spoon.
2. TOP YOGURT — With berries out of season, pomegranates make a terrific topper.
3. STIR INTO GRAINS — Add pomegranate seeds to cooked rice, quinoa, farro, or other grains to add color and tang.
4. ADD TO FRUIT SALAD — Pomegranate seeds marry well with other fruits.
5. MAKE SALSA  —  for topping for grilled fish, chicken, or lamb chops.
6. SCATTER OVER HUMMUS — Pomegranate and hummus have Middle Eastern roots, so why not combine the two. 
7. USE AS A GARNISH — Sprinkle over everything from cupcakes to custard to add a bit of interest.
8. MIX A Pretty in Pink Cocktail — A combination of sparkling wine, pomegranate juice, and a spoonful of pomegranate seeds that bobble in the bubbles makes for a festive cocktail.

Easter Bunnies, Eggs & Hot Cross Buns

 Easter (N) 
The festival of the Christian Church celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held [in the Western Church] on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.

Easter has other links besides those for the Christian religions. It was first a pagan festival celebrating the beginning of spring, with the Goddess known as Ēastre having a rabbit as her symbol, hence the Easter Bunny. 

Similarly, the sharing of eggs was a common practice during spring celebrations, though they may not have been quite as colourful or made of chocolate. Perhaps the contemporary orgy of chocolate eating is more in keeping with the Pagan origins of Easter, as a festival of fertility, than with the Christian one.

Because rabbits are feral in Australia,
we now have the Easter Bilby;
 a burrowing marsupial with rabbit-like ears

it is believed that buns marked with a cross were eaten by Saxons in honour of the goddess Ēostre (the cross is thought to have symbolised the four quarters of the moon); 

Next time you eat a ‘hot cross bun’  you are eating a ‘moon bun’.  Wikipedia:

Have a happy Easter!

Adapted from a post written by http://richardmckie.net/