The Ripe Stuff
Every year around this time, a pomegranate would find its way into our kitchen. My mother would line the table with newspapers and cover us from neck to navel in protective garb. Then we would break open the pomegranate and pry clusters of seedpods from between the cream-colored membranes of the fruit. The pomegranate has a distinctive tangy sweetness that enhances chicken or pork dishes.

Dough:
1 1/2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup warm water
6 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt

Remove the film that forms on the top of the milk. Put milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar and butter; stir to dissolve. Mix yeast and warm water. Sprinkle with a few grains of sugar and let sit until foamy on top. To the mixing bowl add 5 1/2 cups of flour, 2 eggs and yeast mixture. Mix with a dough hook until a soft dough forms. Add flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough cleans the side of the bowl. Knead for another 2 or 3 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down and let rise again. Cut dough into 3 pieces. Roll out 1 piece into a very thin rectangle about 16-by-20 inches. Spread with one-third of the filling mixture and roll up tightly along the long side. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of dough. Place each into a greased tube or loaf pan, cover and let rise again until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees until a thermometer registers 200 degrees, about 1 hour. Cover loosely with foil if getting too brown.

Filling:
1 can evaporated milk
1 heaping cup sugar
2 sticks butter
4 eggs
5 cups walnuts, finely ground
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat milk, sugar and butter in a large saucepan until boiling. Add eggs and walnuts; stir until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt, cocoa and cinnamon; let cool before spreading.
Makes 3 Loaves .

Pork Tenderloin
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TOP 10 ESSENTIALS FOR COOKING
Here's my top-10 list of kitchen essentials for a well-equipped kitchen:

1. An 8-inch chef knife and 3-inch paring knife. Make sure they are high-carbon stainless, forged knives. Avoid the "82-knife set."

2. Cutting board. I favor nylon or bamboo. In either case, make sure it is lightweight and at least 12-by-20-inches.

3. Measuring cups and spoons. You'll need a 2-cup and a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, a set of measuring cups for dry ingredients and a set of measuring spoons. Stainless steel is the most durable.

4. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with cover. Tri-ply such as All-Clad is the best for even heating. This pan does everything from omelets to sautés.

5. An 8-quart stock pot. This is essential for boiling pasta, steaming vegetables or making large batches of chili, soups and stews.

6. Colander. Get stainless steel with firmly riveted handles.

7. A 3-quart covered saucepan. This rounds out your pots-and-pans inventory for small boiling projects and heating canned soups.

8. A four-sided cheese grater. Freshly grated cheese is a big flavor boost for your cooking. This tool is also useful for grating vegetables and shredding lemon zest.

9. Sheet pan. This inexpensive pan has raised sides and can be used to bake cookies, breads and pizza, or to roast vegetables and meats.

10. A 6-quart slow cooker. This is a working couple's best friend. Ten minutes of prep in the morning yields a dinner entree and loads of leftovers. The models with the thickest insert provide the slowest, most-even cooking. Be sure it's at least a 5-quart capacity.

- Chris Fennimore