Ripe Now! Pomegranates | Ecotopia 2050

Ripe Now! Pomegranates

A symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity, pomegranates, abundant with ruby jeweled seeds, are a true market treasure. Native to Iran and India, pomegranates are available from September to December here in California. Pomegranates are unique in that they can be grown directly from seed unlike most other fruit trees, which are usually grafted to produce consistently delicious fruit. While the "Wonderful" variety is the most commonly grown by farms such as Full Belly Farm, Riverdog Farm, Kaki Farm, Frog Hollow Farm, Kashiwase Farms, and Blossom Bluff Orchards, you can also find other varieties like white pomegranates at Guru Ram Das Orchards.

When selecting pomegranates don't be fooled by the color of the skin: choose fruit that feels heavy. Cracked pomegranates might not strike you as the ones to choose, but, if the fruit is splitting, it indicates that it ripened fully on the tree and therefore it will be sweet and tasty. In addition to fresh whole fruit, Smit Farms has pure pomegranate juice that is great in your drinks and sauces.

Best way to open a pomegranate? Score the skin from top to bottom in quarters and gently pull fruit apart with your hands. Working in a bowl of water loosen the seeds from the membrane. As the seeds are heavier, they will sink and the membrane will float. Alternately, once the fruit is broken apart, you can whack the skin with the back of a wooden spoon and watch the seeds will fall out into a bowl. This method is particularly good for relieving a bit of stress! Kashiwase Farms offers to do the dirty work for you, selling just the seeds ready to eat.

Easy Eating: You can incorporate pomegranates in any meal. To start off your day, you can indulge in this pomegranate and citrus scone recipe. Pomegranates are a beautiful addition to salads: think spicy arugula or hearty chicories. For lunch, this pomegranate and pear green salad with ginger dressing, will give you warm, autumnal feelings. (Bonus: you can get ginger, pomegranates, and pears at the markets now). Pomegranates' classic kitchen companion is lamb and with this pomegranate roast lamb shanks, you'll understand the connection. Finally, to finish the day right, try this pots de creme with rose and pomegranate recipe. Bon appetit!

Storage:

Keep pomegranates in a cool, dry area out of direct sunlight. On the counter, they can last up to 1 month. In the fridge, they will keep for up to 2 months!

Recipe: Frisée and Endive

Salad with Mint and

Pomegranate Seeds

From the cookbook Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pine nuts

sea salt

1 head frisée

2 Belgian endives, red or green

1 bunch watercress

1 small pomegranate

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces

3 scallions, including the firm greens, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions:

1. Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, shuffling the pan back and forth until they're golden. Immediately dump them into a bowl and toss with a pinch of salt.

2. Separate the frisée leaves at the base, discarding the tough outer leaves. Sliver the endives. Remove the large, coarse stems from the watercress. Wash and dry the greens. You should have between 8 and 10 cups in all. Refrigerate until needed.

3. Quarter the pomegranate and gently pry the pieces apart so that they don't spurt. Pick out the seeds from the membranes.

4. Toss the greens with the mint and the scallions. Sprinkle with salt and toss again. Pour the oil over them and toss until the greens are lightly coated. Add the vinegar, toss well, and taste for tartness and for salt. Divide among salad plates and garnish with the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.

*Local Flavors by Deborah Madison is available for purchase at the Ecology Center Store

Current Vendors

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Wildfire Update

As we are all feeling the impact of wildfires across the state, please hold our farmers and vendors in your thoughts as they may be experiencing frightening circumstances. Berkeley Farmers' Markets are committed to staying open year-round in order to support the livelihood of our small farmers. We plan to operate markets on their usual schedule. Please check our website, social media, and/or email newsletter for any changes to our market schedules. If hazardous conditions require us to close a market early, we will announce it on our social media first, so please be sure to connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Staying Safe

When shopping at the market during times of poor air quality, please take precautions to keep yourself safe. Check out the air quality near you. If you have a sensitive medical condition, consider staying indoors to stay healthy. Limit your time outside and wear an N95 mask, if you have one (must be worn with cloth covering over the valve) or a KN95 mask. As per City of Berkeley COVID-19 safety guidelines, please do not wear masks with one-way valves unless covered as they do not protect transmission of COVID-19.

Ecology Center Store

Reopens!

We have missed our community, and are looking forward to seeing everyone in our store once again.

Our shopping hours have changed, and we will now be open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 am to 5 pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm.

To ensure that our space is as safe as possible for customers and staff, we are adhering to both state and city regulations around COVID. You can read more about the safety precautions that our entire organization is taking here.

For a no-contact option, you can still place orders online for the essentials that you need. Orders placed through our online store will be scheduled for curbside pick-up during the same business hours.

Thank you for your continued support!
Ecology Center Staff

Ecotopia 2050: A Speaker Discussion Series & Book Club

Hosted by the Ecology Center

What is the future we are moving towards? What could our legacy in 2050 be? We invite you to break away from your daily routine to take a look beyond the horizon in ECOTOPIA 2050: A Speaker Discussion Series & Book Club.

In our next live stream episode, Ecology Center's Executive Director Martin Bourque will sit down with Michael Pollan -- American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism -- to discuss Ecotopia and The Future of Food on Thursday, October 22, 2020.

In Ernest Callenbach's 1975 eco-cult classic Ecotopia, he presents a food production system utilizing agroecology and sewage to reach a stable and restorative state. Our speakers will discuss this vision, what elements have come true, and what the future of farming could look like. They will dive deep into diverging paths forward from ocean permaculture, plant-based diets, to precision agriculture, agricultural robots, and food and meat grown in labs.

We hope you can join us for Episode 2 -- Ecotopia and The Future of Food on Thursday, October 22, 2020. Find out more here: