Pomegranate juice is the juice of the pomegranate (Punica granatum), a softball sized, reddish fruit native to Iran and the Caucasus, but cultivated around the world for both ornamental and fruit-bearing reasons. The pomegranate is an ancient fruit, mentioned in the Bible and the Qur'an. The pomegranate was also known to the ancient Greeks.
The only part of the pomegranate that is edible are the arils, a collection of around 600 small red fruits that look like popcorn kernels that are suspended in white, astringent pulp in the interior of the pomegranate. Pomegranates are generally cut in half and pressed to crush the arils and extract their juice.
Pomegranate juice is both tart and astringent, with a strong red berry flavor. Pomegranate juice can be cooked down to make [ingredient=grenadine grenadine] (from the French word for pomegranate -- grenade), and cooked down further to make [ingredient=pomegranate-molasses pomegranate molasses], which is a staple of Persian cooking. [ingredient=pom-wonderful POM Wonderful] is a common brand of pomegranate juice.
Some popular cocktails containing Pomegranate juice
- Mexican Cloud — Tequila, Rhubarb bitters, Pomegranate juice, Simple syrup, Herbal liqueur
- Summer in Peloponnese — Ouzo, Pomegranate juice, Coconut Water
- Bloody Sidecar — Gin, Triple sec, Pomegranate juice
- Pink Chihuahua — Blanco tequila, Pomegranate juice, Lime juice, Orgeat, Egg white
- Bourbon Spark — Bourbon, Ginger liqueur, Lime juice, Lemon juice, Ginger ale, Pomegranate juice, Orange
- Buah Arak — Gold rum, Batavia Arrack, Orange liqueur, Bitters, Pomegranate juice, Lime juice, Orgeat
- The Chadwick — Dark rum, Soda water, Simple syrup, Pomegranate juice, Mint, Lime
- AvernaPom — Pisco, Averna, Pomegranate juice, Coconut syrup
- Persephone out of Hades — Pisco, Pear Vodka, Lime juice, Pomegranate juice, Rosemary
- Anastasia — Ginger Vodka, Triple sec, Pomegranate juice, Lemon juice, Simple syrup