Pomegranate Cosmo

Each year I make batches and batches of pomegranate jelly.  It's my Hubbers' favorite jelly so I have to make sure he has a good supply in the pantry.  A jar of jelly is our Christmas gift to neighbors, friends and family. I used to buy pomegranate juice from a local farmer.  The past four or five years I've relied on the crop my tree produces and pomegranates that friends give me (thanks, Tony!) Unknown to us until this year, my mother-in-law has a very productive tree so we spent an hour or so picking some of its fruit, too.  I have a pomegranate press and I spend hours on the back patio squeezing the juice out of the red orbs.  I strain the juice through cheesecloth then freeze.  As time allows I defrost the juice and make batches of jelly.  The last three weeks I've spent the bulk of my weekends making jelly.  I am finally done for the year! I had a little juice left over, not enough to make another batch of jelly, but enough for a little treat for all my hard work.  A pomegranate cosmo is just what I needed to drink while I put my feet up!

These cosmos would be great for Thanksgiving entertaining.  A pitcher makes about 6 drinks and can be made ahead of time.  Of course, the recipe can be doubled (or tripled!) for a large crowd. Pomegranate juice is available in most grocery stores these days. These cosmos are so good!

Pomegranate Cosmos (recipe from Barefoot Contessa)

2 cups (16 ounces) good vodka
1 cup (8 ounces) orange liqueur
1 cup (8 ounces) pomegranate juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
Lime peel strips, to garnish, if desired

Combine the vodka, orange liqueur, pomegranate juice, and lime juice in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to use.  Pour the mixture into frozen martini glasses with a twist of lime peel and serve immediately.

If you're like me, there is no room in my freezer to keep glasses frozen.  I pour some into a shaker full of ice and shake until very cold.

We have 52 jars from this year's production.

My pressing station.  It's such a messy job!

My cooktop looked like this most of the weekend!

Pomegrantes and Pumpkins!

I recently (and unexpectedly) bought some plates from Pier One. I used them in a pear-themed tablesetting a few weeks ago. I love these plates and have been using them almost daily this fall. We  hosted another couple for dinner and I wanted to use the plates but not do the same pear emphasis (I get bored easily!) The plates also have figs and pomegranates on them.  It just so happens that I have a big box of pomegranates in my garage as I am starting my annual pomegranate juicing/jelly making production. I started thinking about how I could incorporate those pomegranates in my tablesetting. 

During the fall I usually have this antique dough bowl filled with small pumpkins and gourds.  It's so simple and pretty. I added a few pomegranates to the mix.  Wow, that spark of red added a lot of color and tied the plates into the centerpiece perfectly! Combining pumpkins and pomegranates had never occurred to me before but I really like the combination of colors it makes.

 

 

I added some gold napkins, my Woodland Spode silverware, and some amber water glasses. Votive candles in gold holders added a little sparkle. I was able to put together a pretty table with little effort. I love it when things go together like this! 

I made the burlap table runner last year, see these instructions.  It's simple but has a little touch of elegance with the white ribbon. 

Please join me at Tablescape Thursday for more tabletop inspiration!

Wordless Wednesday

Pomegranate Jelly...From Tree to Tabletop!

For over 15 years I've been making pomegranate jelly.  It's my hubby's favorite jelly. Each year I make 4-5 dozen jars, giving most out as Christmas gifts. I bought the juice from a local farmer, he had a small orchard and pressed all the juice.  As promegrante juice gained in popularity so did the price. Last year I paid $30 a gallon for the juice.  My annual jelly project wasn't cheap!

In January we planted a 2-year old pomegranate tree. The landscaper I purchased it from told he me got about a dozen pomegranates from it last year.  So I was hoping to get the equivalent. I enjoyed the growing process of the tree from its first blooms in the spring and small red orbs in the early summer.  By the end of summer we had a tree laden with fruit, so heavy that the still immature branches were hanging on the ground.

This was my first harvest. My hubby laughed and wanted to know when I was going to go to the farmer and buy my juice.  I had read that an average pomegranate produces about 1/4 to 1/2 cup juice so I was hoping to get enough juice to make a few jars of jelly.

His pessimism did not deter me!  Using a pomegranate press that I bought from Amazon I set up shop in a corner of the garage one evening and went to work. An hour later (it was such an easy process!) and I had almost 3 gallons of juice.  This is more than enough for my annual jelly making.  My hubby was impressed!

Pomegranate juice freezes very well which enables me to spread the jelly-making process according to my schedule. I did get 2 batches done this week.  Each batch makes 5-6 8 oz. jars of jelly so I have plenty of batches to go before I'm done for the year. It's an easy jelly to make, doesn't take much time once all the supplies are organized. This recipe was given to me by the pomegranate farmer's wife, many years ago.  She passed away this year but I will always remember my visits with her and her love for her family orchard.

Love the deep red color of the juice!

 Beautiful jelly ready for our toast and for gifts!

Pomegranate Jelly

3 ½ cups pomegranate juice

1 package dry pectin (Sure Jel)

5 cups sugar

Measure juice into 6- to 8-quart saucepot.  Measure sugar into a separate bowl.  Set aside.  Add package dry pectin to juice, mixing thoroughly.

Place juice over high heat.  Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  (If mixture starts to scorch, reduce heat to medium.)

Stir in sugar, mixing well.  Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Continue to boil 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat.  Skim off any foam. (I usually strain, using cheescloth over a strainer).

Fill hot jars quickly to 1/8 inch of tops.  Wipe off jar rims.  Cover quickly with flat lids.  Screw bands tightly.  Invert jars 5 minutes, then turn upright.  After 1 hour, check seals.  Or, use USDA water bath method.