It's pomegranate season. When I was a kid, half of the appeal was fishing each little gem out before I could eat it. Now I'm much busier and less patient. What's a quick way to remove the fruit (intact) from the pith? - Pat Risch, Toomsuba, Miss.

First, cut out the crown at the blossom end. Then, score the fruit six to eight times from top to bottom.

Place the whole thing in a bowl of water and crack the fruit apart. Then, bend back the rind to pop out the seeds. The seeds float; everything else sinks.

You don't have to do this in water, but it's the easiest and neatest way. You also can split the fruit in half, point the flat part down into a bowl and whack the top with a wooden spoon, but you'll get less that way.

Buy big, richly colored pomegranates that are heavy for their size. Squeeze each one gently before buying; if dust puffs out, you don't want it.

The skin should be taut and look like it's about to burst.

I have moved to the United States from Belgium. I am searching for some Bintje potatoes to make good Belgian frites. Where can I order them online? - Christophe Danheux, Kennett Square, Pa.

Bintje potatoes, originally cultivated in Holland, are a high-starch potato with a rich, non-mealy texture.

Outside of farmers' markets, where you can find them on occasion, especially in colder areas, they're pretty difficult to find in the United States, where they're considered an heirloom variety.

We haven't found anywhere to mail-order the actual potatoes, though seeds are widely available, should your frite craving demand that you grow your own. If you absolutely can't find them, try Yukon Gold potatoes - they're not quite as starchy as Bintjes, so they may not brown up quite as well, but they're close in flavor.