POM Wonderful Dinner at Eleven Madison Park New York

By: Simone Press

"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it."

Although Pom Wonderful is facing some recent scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission because of the health claims the company makes in regard to their juice products – we all know that pomegranates are good for you and taste delicious! The antioxidant rich fruit, which is native to regions in the Middle East and India, and somewhat reminiscent of a cranberry’s flavor – tart with a slight bitterness – has an exotic and ancient history. Some scholars even believe that it was the very special fruit which tempted the biblical character Eve from picking from the Tree of Knowledge eventually causing her and Adam to be tossed from the Garden of Eden. (That’s the theme of the company’s new TV ad.)

Two weeks ago, at the very much acclaimed New York City restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, Pom Wonderful – the folks behind Pom juices and fruits – hosted a dinner prepared by the restaurant’s executive chef Daniel Humm - to celebrate the fruit, its history as well as highlighting exactly how it can be used in American kitchens today.  The delicious dinner – which was made particularly enjoyable thanks to the very beautiful table décor produced by Pom’s sister company Teleflora – was a whopping four courses and made sure to incorporate the evening’s star attraction into every course.

The amuse bouchee that kicked the night off was a deliciously tangy heirloom beet salad topped with crème fraiche along with a frothy, tongue-tickling carbonated pom dressing. The dish cleansed the palate and woke up your tastebuds! Next off was an absolutely amazing tasting peekytoe crab salad served alongside an avocado crème and a pomegranate gelee. The crab salad was salty while the avocado crème was luxurious and the pomegranate gelee incorporated a tangy, fruity sweetness. The dish was a great success and most dinner guests licked their plates clean.

The entrée course was yet another attempt by the Chef to bring pomegranate to life on our plates! Think herb roasted Colorado lamb chops with braised cabbage, a dollop of creamy sweet potato puree, bitter swiss chard tied together with a lovely and sweet pomegranate sauce complete with a few nutty seeds.

The dinner was then finished with a light and moist red velvet cake served alongside a cheesecake parfait and a pomegranate juice gelee.

The company’s PR team told us that pomegranates were easy to cook with and add a much needed burst of flavor to any dish. They also spoke of the many health benefits of the fruit and urged people to invest in the rosy colored, seed-filled fruit.  But, if you’ve never had the chance to try a pomegranate, don’t despair… the company is going to help you out! The first 5,000 people to sign up on their website will be able to send themselves – or anyone they know – a fresh pomegranate for absolutely no cost to them! Imagine that! An opportunity to try something new for absolutely no money! Simply go here, fill out your info and voila - you or your loved one - will have a pomegranate!

Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010-3643
(212) 889-0905