#Garlic Lovers Day…U.S.A…

 

Dedicated to garlic lovers…Garlic is an onion-like highly aromatic bulb with a distinct flavour and many health benefits…

Native to Central Asia and Northeast Iran garlic has long been used as a seasoning and for medicine in Asia, Africa and in Europe around the Mediterranean Sea.

Wild Garlic was used as far back as ancient Rome, China, Greece and the Americas long before the Europeans arrived…

Used to treat gangrene in World wars 1 and II garlic has been part of many studies to see how it affects cardiovascular health, cancer and the common cold…

In cookery, garlic is used on or in bread, infused in oils, and salad dressings, and used to season meats, vegetables and pasta its uses are widespread…

While most recipes don’t specify what kind of garlic to use once you know your garlic then you can experiment and play around with the differences in the flavours and nuances…

Hard Necked Garlic…

Can veer on the side of being spicy or hot…some describe it as being more garlicky with a more complex flavour profile…ideal for roasts with gamier meats, like duck or venison, as well as vinaigrettes that have other hearty ingredients, like mustard or apple cider vinegar. If you’re making garlic-infused olive oil or vinegar, then use hard neck garlic if one is available for more flavour…easily identified by its hard woody central stalk.

Soft Neck Garlic…

Is believed to have evolved from the hard-necked garlic…it can produce many more cloves sometimes up to thirty…I like this one to what I call Thai garlic which has lots of smaller cloves that have a softer flavour than the hard neck garlic and is often eaten raw here with food it has a softer more grass-like flavour profile and doesn’t have the bite of its brother the hard neck garlic…Garlic powder and seasono=ings are mainly made for soft neck garlic…Softneck garlic also has no centre stalk…

Creole Garlic…

Has purple cloves and beautiful bulbs…They are sweet tasting and store well…while they don’t have the largest of cloves they make up for it with their sweet taste…

Black Garlic…

Black garlic is, simply put, the product of ageing regular garlic bulbs over the course of weeks or months, a process called the Maillard reaction…With its softer, molasses-like flavour, it is a more delicate option than the raw bulb. It’s versatile and can be swapped out for regular garlic in most recipes. It is a beautiful addition to any cheese plate, bruschetta, chicken dish, or even as a pizza topper…I am seeing it more and more when I am buying garlic but like a good balsamic the cost is far higher than regular garlic…

Not something I have tried to make yet but apparently it is not difficult to make your own black garlic as it is ready to eat within 3 weeks…Have you made black garlic?

Elephant/Buffalo Garlic…

Elephant garlic (also called Buffalo garlic) is actually Allium ampeloprasum, not sativum. It’s milder than most garlic but has an onion-y edge to its taste. Elephant garlic is often interchangeable with softneck garlic in terms of taste and works as well as soft neck garlic in sauces, vinaigrettes, and stir-fries.

Thank you for joining me today for garlic lovers day…as always I look forward to your comments I hope you are having a great week xx

41 thoughts on “#Garlic Lovers Day…U.S.A…”

  1. Omoyinka

    I don’t like garlic’s taste and smell but its medicinal benefits made it an important part of my diet. I eat peanuts like land squirrel and eat eggs like snake yet my cholesterol level had been perfect. I have never knew there are types of garlic as you mention, thanks for the knowledge shared.

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  6. alexcraigie

    I love garlic and have grown my own for a few years now. This season’s crop was poor and I wasn’t going to buy any more to plant – but I’m going to now. I just have time to get it into the ground. You’ve explained the difference between hard-necked and soft wonderfully clearly. Many thanks! xx

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Me too, Dorothy we love garlic a few different varieties grow here luckily…If I can find somewhere to keep it while it matures I will give black garlic a go but the smell apparently invades the house 🙂

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  13. beetleypete

    I love the taste of garlic, and use it in most recipes. But I don’t love it as much as John Rieber does, obviously. He is the Garlic King of Los Angeles! 🙂
    (I enjoy smoked garlic too.)
    Best wishes, Pete. x

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Wow…yes I love garlic but not sure I would love the overriding smell of garlic everywhere thatrs why I probably won’t attempt to make black garlic unless I can find somewhere where the smell won’t invade the whole house(maybe the garden shed…Thankyou for the link, Pete 🙂

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