Q: I have a pomegranate tree that's full of fruit. How do I make pomegranate juice and molasses from fresh pomegranates? Cory Sisson, Sacramento, CA

AskFN: Pomegranates, though delicious and extremely good for you, require a little bit of savvy to crack open and juice. The easiest way to do it, without making your kitchen look like something out of a horror film, is to slice off the top end (the part that looks like a crown), then make several shallow cuts from north to south. Once you've made the cuts, immerse the whole pomegranate in a bowl of water, and gently break the sections apart. Using your fingers, pull the red seeds away from the white pith. Discard everything that floats (pith and peel float; seeds sink), and drain the seeds in a colander.

The seeds are great as a garnish, or, you can make juice by putting the seeds in a blender, and then straining the resulting liquid through a sieve or cheesecloth. One pomegranate should yield about half a cup of juice. To make pomegranate molasses, bring the juice to a boil on the stovetop and simmer until thickened to the desired consistency.

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