A Pomegranate to Have a Blast

Pomegranate seeds are very tasty and juicy. They're ideal for making a liqueur. In antiquity, the pomegranate was regarded as a symbol of fertility, on account of its great number of seeds, and the pomegranate flower as a symbol of love. In Greece, to wish newlyweds happiness and fertility, a pomegranate is thrown to the ground and crushed.

To prepare the liqueur we'll need:

• 4 large pomegranates
• 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest
• 1 glass of sugar
• 1 glass of water
• 1.5 glasses of vodka
• 1 glass of pure spirit

We peel the pomegranates and pick out the seeds. This is probably the worst task in the whole process of making the liqueur. You have to be careful while pulling out the seeds, as it's easy to splatter everything with juice.

We squeeze the juice from the seeds. I did this in a juicer and then strained it through gauze. We pour the juice into a large jar, combine it with the alcohols and leave it for 12 hours in a dark place.

Then we boil the sugar with water, stirring constantly so nothing burns. To the jar we add the cooled sugar syrup and the lemon zest. We leave the tightly closed jar for a month. Once we've filtered it, it should sit for another three months to acquire the right taste and strength.

Pomegranates, called the "fruit of life", are also regarded as a symbol of immortality and sensuality. I hope the liqueur made from their juice has similar properties too.