Next to his olive groves, Chafic Maalouf planted 630 pomegranate trees across two acres.
The soil’s mixture of clay and silt, very rich in potassium, calcium and other minerals all contribute to the fruit’s depth of flavor. Capturing the perfect balance of sugars and acidity in the fruit for harvest is a tricky game, requiring a trained person to visit the orchard every morning in September, choose a few pomegranates and taste them to determine if they are ready for picking.