Pomegranate Rose Sparkler

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Citrus juicer or reamer
• •Glass pitcher
• •Wooden spoon for seeding pomegranates

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your pomegranates

   Choose pomegranates that feel heavy for their size. This weight tells you the fruit is full of juice, the seeds swollen and ready. The skin should be taut, almost stretched, with a deep ruby or burgundy color. A few scratches on the surface are fine. They mean the fruit ripened on the tree.

   Pomegranates peak from October through February. This is when the seeds are sweetest, the juice most vibrant. Honor the season.
2. 2

   Extract the juice

   Cut the pomegranates in half crosswise. Hold each half over a bowl, cut side down, and strike the back firmly with a wooden spoon. The seeds will release and fall. Pick out any white pith, which is bitter. Press the seeds through a fine-mesh strainer, or pulse briefly in a blender and strain. You want pure juice, deep garnet and alive.

3. 3

   Make honey simple syrup

   Warm one quarter cup of water in a small saucepan until it just steams. Remove from heat and stir in the honey until dissolved. Local honey carries the taste of your region, the wildflowers and clover that grew in fields nearby. Let the syrup cool completely before using.

   Ask at your farmers' market for raw honey from a beekeeper you can meet. The flavor will be nothing like the anonymous squeeze bottles at the grocery store.
4. 4

   Build the base

   In a pitcher, combine the fresh pomegranate juice, cooled honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Squeeze the lemon yourself, right before you need it. Bottled juice tastes flat and tired. Stir gently to combine. This base can be made several hours ahead and kept cold.

5. 5

   Add rose water with care

   Measure the rose water precisely. One teaspoon. Rose water is potent, and a heavy hand will turn your sparkler into perfume. You want the faintest suggestion of roses, a whisper beneath the pomegranate. Stir it in and taste. The floral note should make you pause, wondering if you imagined it.

   Rose water varies wildly by brand. Start with half a teaspoon if yours is particularly strong, then add more drop by drop.
6. 6

   Prepare the glasses

   Chill your glasses in the freezer for at least ten minutes. When you pull them out, they should be frosted and cold to the touch. This keeps the sparkler cold longer and looks beautiful. Drop a few pomegranate seeds into each glass along with two or three small mint leaves.

7. 7

   Combine and serve

   Divide the pomegranate base among the chilled glasses, filling each about two-thirds full. Top slowly with cold sparkling water, watching the bubbles lift and dance. Do not stir. The gentle mixing as the bubbles rise is all you need. Float a few rose petals on top if you have them. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• •Buy pomegranates from a source that can tell you where they grew. California pomegranates are in season from October through January and need not travel far.
• •Save extra pomegranate seeds in the freezer. They keep for months and can be dropped into drinks, scattered over salads, or eaten by the handful.
• •If you cannot find quality rose water, a few drops of orange blossom water creates a similar delicate floral note without overwhelming the pomegranate.
• •For a deeper celebration, rim the glasses with a touch of honey and crushed dried rose petals before chilling.
• •The pomegranate base without sparkling water keeps refrigerated for three days. Top with bubbles just before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •Pomegranate juice can be pressed up to two days ahead and refrigerated. The color and flavor stay vibrant.
• •Honey simple syrup keeps refrigerated for two weeks.
• •The complete base without sparkling water holds well for several hours, allowing you to prepare it before guests arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 290g)