edited by Carlo Lapucci
Small evergreen, (Punica granatum, of the Punicaceae) sometimes has thorny branches. The pomegranate is an ornamental plant, slow growing, it is cultivated for its fruits of which the seeds are eaten. The flowers, wild or double, are of particular beauty due to their shape and vermilion color (as Carducci says in Pianto antico). Ripens in autumn. It is also found wild or feral in hedges and woodlands.
The fruit, of extraordinary beauty, of inexplicable charm and mystery, was the object of a secret symbolism in ancient times which focuses on the theme of fertility: this vase which hides compressed infinite red seeds of great beauty, sweetness and perfection, for which the pomegranate connects both to the divine moment of creation and fruitfulness.
Christian tradition also makes it a fruit of Paradise, sometimes identified with the apple of the Tree of the science of good and evil, dragged to earth by Lucifer in his fall.
In ancient mythology it is the fruit linked to Proserpina (Persephone) and her mother Demeter (Ceres), the pagan divinity who presides over agriculture, crops and crops. Personification of the vegetation that is under the earth in winter and comes out in good weather, Persephone was kidnapped by Pluto. Demeter looked for her in Sicily by lighting two pine trees in the flames of Etna, shaking them in the night, then she went up to Olympus, obtaining from Jupiter to bring her daughter back to earth, on the condition that she had not eaten anything in the kingdom of shadows . But, prisoner of Pluto in the kingdom of the Underworld, the girl was watched by Ascalafo, who reported having seen her eat six seeds of a pomegranate, picked in the gardens of the Plutonic palace. This prevented Proserpina from being freed and, thanks to Jupiter's concession, she was able to return to Earth for 9 months, remaining however 3 in the underground kingdom, just like vegetation does in its annual cycle.
Christian legend says that the pomegranate was once white and grew on the trees that adorn Paradise. Lucifer especially liked this apple when he was among the number of angels. When he rebelled against God, at the moment of being fallen from heaven, he grabbed one of these fruits which fell with him to the earth. Due to the great heat and the fire that ignited in his limbs, ruining on the earth, the fruit became bright red: its seeds scattered on the ground and thus our pomegranate was born.
Calendar
June
«In May, cherries to taste, in June, cherries in the fist»
Countryside. In this month we dedicate ourselves to harvesting late spring-early summer fruit, which grows in great abundance, especially cherries. The climate of June makes it necessary to dedicate ourselves to irrigation and weeding. It is sown: corn, millet, sorghum, sunflower, grass etc.
Orchard and vineyard. We continue with treatments against codling moths, psyllids and fruit flies and with green pruning work on stone fruit and olive trees. In the vineyard, shoot removal and bunch thinning are carried out (especially for table grapes to improve their quality). Where necessary, transplanting of kiwi specimens grown in containers begins.
Vegetable garden. The seedlings are shaded and, to prevent the soil from drying out too much, mulching is carried out and watered frequently in the cooler hours. Weeds are eliminated and cardoons, beans, cabbage, aubergines, potatoes and peppers are replanted. Watermelons, melons, aubergines and tomatoes are cut. The supports prepared the previous month are checked and the vegetables are sown for autumn-winter production.
Farms. As the temperatures rise, it is necessary to ventilate the chicken coops well, and in general let the animals graze outdoors in shaded places.
Garden. It is necessary to dedicate yourself to mowing the turf and watering it daily. The faded bulbs are uprooted and stored. The flowerbeds are weeded with flowering plants. The chrysanthemum is trimmed and trees, shrubs, climbers and faded rose bushes are pruned. it is still possible to plant or transplant the geranium into outdoor pots and make cuttings and layering.
Gleanings of wisdom
A slap in the desert
Two friends were traveling in the desert. They loved each other, they got along very well. Each considered the other the best of friends, the friend of the heart.
As is customary when walking in the desert, they stopped during the hottest hours. They refreshed themselves, rested, occupied their time by discussing different things. At one point they touched on a topic on which they were surprised to have divergent points of view. A real argument broke out between them, something that had never happened before. Their discussion turned into a heated argument, they indulged in some offensive words. Until one of the two, exasperated, couldn't stop himself from giving the other a slap.
They fell silent. There were no other reactions, but the person who had received the slap, as if to relieve their nervousness and the humiliation they had suffered, bent down to write in the sand: today my best friend gave me a slap! The other observed, made no comment. They continued their journey in silence.
They arrived at their destination, an oasis with a beautiful water source, abundant enough to create a lake surrounded by palm trees. The invitation was irresistible to dive and cool off after the dust and heat of the journey. They both took a refreshing bath in that beautiful water.
At a certain point, the person who had received the slap had the misfortune of falling into a hole hidden from the water. He didn't know how to swim, he gasped and asked for help for fear of drowning. And then his friend intervened promptly and accompanied him to safety on dry land.
Just enough time to catch his breath, the rescued crouched down at the edge of the lake, made of a soft rock, smoothed by the water. With a sharp stone he began to carve some words. One after the other, the sentence came out: today my best friend saved my life!
The other read, remained thoughtful, and then asked:
«I saw that today you wrote in the sand the bad gesture of giving you a slap. Now you are committed to engraving in stone the fact that you saved your life. Is there a reason?
The friend replies:
«When someone hits you or hurts you, you better keep it in your memory, like something written in the sand. The wind of understanding and forgiveness quickly makes the trace disappear. However, when you are the object of a gesture of love, it is better to keep a living memory of it, like a trace engraved on stone. The wind does not make it disappear and there remains a renewed appeal to strengthen friendship and understanding."
Vito Viganò
Recipes
Veal with tuna sauce
Ingredients for 4 people: a veal rump, a three-egg mayonnaise, 350 gr. of tuna in oil, celery, carrot, parsley, a laurel leaf, a glass of white wine, 50 gr. of anchovy fillets, capers, oil, the juice of one lemon, salt.
In a saucepan, cook the veal with 2 glasses of water, one of wine, celery, carrot, parsley, bay leaves, oil, salt and lemon. Once the veal is cooked, remove it from the saucepan and dilute the tuna, anchovies and capers in the remaining sauce; then pass everything through a sieve. Cut the veal into slices and arrange them on the plate, covering it with the sauce. Garnish everything with pickled capers or baby artichokes.