One pomegranate, a bowl of water, an ice cube tray and tweezers — an autumn morning of quiet, ruby-red picking that ends in a glass of fresh juice.
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Every autumn we buy far too many pomegranates, and every autumn I remember that seeding them is the most calming activity in our house. My kids go completely quiet.
It is repetitive in the very best way: press, loosen, drop, repeat. The seeds are shiny and heavy and they make a lovely sound falling into a bowl.
By the end we always have more seeds than anyone wants to eat plain, which is how the ice cube tray and the juice press joined the basket.
Cut the pomegranate in half yourself and hand the halves over — the cut side is where all the fun is.
Sit your child in front of the big bowl of water. Show them how to hold the half under the water and push the seeds out with a thumb; the seeds sink and the white pith floats.
Skim the floating pith off the top with a spoon together — a satisfying job of its own.
Lift the seeds out into the white bowl and admire them. They look like jewels against white.
Bring out the tweezers and the ice cube tray: five seeds per compartment, or one colour shade per compartment, or simply as many as fit.
Press half the seeds into juice with a small manual press. The other half goes on yoghurt, salad, or straight into mouths.
Freeze a few compartments of seeds in water and use them as jewel ice cubes in a drink the next day.
Doing this under water is the single trick that makes it mess-free — no spraying, no red walls. Still, put everyone in dark clothes. If your child is under three, skip the tweezers and let fingers do the work.