In Grocery News

And when I captured Janet,
She bruised her pomegranate
(The late Ian Dury)

Anyone know anything about pomegranate juice?

There was a big pyramid of pomegranate juice bottles at IGA this week, so I decided to buy one. I read something recently that this is super-duper healthy stuff, so I figured I spend the $5.00 and see if I regain my youthful vigor and live forever.

I chilled it for a few hours and then poured some out. Before tasting it, I looked at the label “Product of Azerbaijan”. I believe this is the first "Product of Azerbaijan" I have ever purchased. Is Azerbaijan the world capital of pomegranates? If not, then why are we getting our pomegranate juice from Azerbaijan? That’s a puzzler.

(I just checked Wikipedia. There’s no specific mention of pomegranates but apparently Azerbaijan grows a lot of “fruit”. Well, who doesn’t? Oh well. I remain ignorant on the pomegranate-Azerbaijan connection.)

Now, being a political nerd, my next thought is “Isn’t Azerbaijan a sort-of dictatorship? Maybe I shouldn’t be supporting the Azerbaijani dictator by buying his pomegranate juice?” That crisis of conscience lasted about 10 seconds.

I poured myself a glass, lifted it to my nose. Whoa. This stuff stinks like pickle juice going bad. I hesitate. But it’s very healthy, I tell myself. The label says so, it says (I’m paraphrasing here): Pomegranate juice is very healthy. Has potassium.

I hold my nose and swig. Not much taste, but certainly not unpleasant. I down the glass.

My next thought: This would probably be quite good with vodka. (I’m trying that this evening.)

I pour another. I drink half and place the glass on the counter. Leave kitchen, come back into kitchen. Miss Hitler is on the counter, licking the rim of my glass of healthy Azerbaijani pomegranate juice. Down the drain that goes. At $5.00 a litre, I gotta keep this stuff away from that cat.

I drink another (clean) glass. Then it occurs to me. What if this somewhat tasty beverage of a former Soviet Republic disturbs my tummy? I had to leave the house, but suddenly panicked. What if I am out in public and discover that I have a serious reaction to pomegranate juice? I worried for nothing, of course. As usual. I was fine.

Recommendation: Support Azerbaijan. Buy some pomegranate juice. It's very healthy. Has potassium.