aril

Now, in the dark days of winter, is the time of year I especially appreciate pomegranate seeds — or arils, if you’re feeling fancy.

If squeezing the juice fresh, run the arils through a traditional juicer or put them in a blender, but in either case, strain through a fine-mesh sieve before proceeding with the recipe.

Come for the beautiful ice ring studded with whole spices and pomegranate arils and stay for the festive fruit flavor in every sip of this bubbly beverage.

Remove from the heat, garnish with the walnut halves, pomegranate arils and orange zest, if desired, and serve family-style, with rice.

Reference that date to determine whether or not the arils are still good.