A nickel will get you on the subway,
but garlic will get you a seat.
~Old New York Proverb
The interesting thing about garlic is that the same variety, grown on different farms garlic will tend to look different after a few years because of differences in climate or soils.The scientists call it "biological elasticity." By the same token, a garlic that started out red skinned in your garden may look paler after a few years. Do not be alarmed or critical of the seed garlic you started with. If the plants are still healthy and the bulbs the right size for you with the right degree of hotness and flavour, keep on planting from your own stock. But if you like to experiment or want to get back to the redder skin or large cloves that you started with, you can try some of the varieties we list.
Garlic has been used for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes. There are more than 300 strains of garlic: While eating garlic can keep away pathogens and vampires, it may also keep away friends and family because of its strong odours! Cooking organic garlic mellows out its flavours considerably. Remove the papery skin from an entire head, coat it with some olive oil and roast it for half an hour at low heat. Squeeze the soft flesh out of each clove and spread it onto toast and add into cooking for a rich and sweet garlic taste. Or, if you are adventurous, try eating whole cloves raw; they are a delicacy in northern Chinese cuisine! (Family: Onion, Alliaceae) Celebrate garlic! It is good for you.
Please see Mary's blog post about Garlic for further information. Printable (PDF) version of blog post here
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