Pomegranate

Growing a pomegranate tree just so you can make your own grenadine may sound like a completely crazy idea, but there actually are dwarf varieties that could be nursed along in a large container and sheltered through the winter. ‘Nana’ reaches only two or 3 feet tall, and ‘State Fair’ gets to 5 feet. They can actually tolerate winter temperatures as low as about 10°F, but a tree in a container should come indoors when nighttime temperatures are routinely below 40°.

You may be thinking that this is an awful lot of trouble for a batch of grenadine, and you’d probably be right. The easier (and possibly less expensive) route would be to buy a bunch of fresh pomegranates when they’re in season, juice them, and make grenadine by heating equal parts pomegranate juice and sugar on the stove until the sugar melts. Let it cool, poured in a jar or bottle with a secure lid, and add a splash of vodka as a preservative.

It’ll keep in the refrigerator for a month or two, or in the freezer for much longer. My favorite grenadine cocktail is the So-So Martini, made with equal parts gin and dry vermouth, a splash of calvados, and a dollop of grenadine. It’s a beautiful red color and a fantastic drink for the middle of winter, when pomegranates are in stores. Or on trees. I guess.