All About Garlic

What is Elephant Garlic? 

Did you know that elephant garlic is not true garlic? It is in the leek family. "Elephant garlic" is milder in flavor than true garlic and a bit nutty when roasted and spread on bread like butter. It is excellent in mashed potatoes. 

What about the other garlic—the kind you buy in the grocery store? 

When we talk about true garlic, we mean Italian garlic, which has two subdivisions: hard-neck varieties and soft-neck varieties, with well over 100 varieties available for consumption. 

How do I select fresh, Italian garlic? 

When you buy Italian garlic, you should grasp it fully and give a slight squeeze to make sure it is firm. You won’t find the hard-neck varieties in most grocery stores. You will find it at specialty stores and farmers’ markets. 

What is the difference between Italian “soft-neck” and “hard-neck”? 

The neck is the part that grows out of the large, bulbous part of the plant, or the “head of garlic”, and the pieces inside are called cloves. The flavors and pungencies vary across the varieties, and it grows all over the world. The more you chop garlic up, the more pungent the flavor. 

Soft-neck 

The soft-neck varieties have a soft, supple center that allows us to braid them. On the soft-neck varieties, the clove configuration is similar to an artichoke: a layer of cloves, another layer of cloves nested inside, and another, with smaller cloves in the center of the head, which are harder to peel. The soft neck varieties are good for braiding, and when sold in bulk, last 9 months. 

Hard-neck 

The hard-neck varieties last up to 6 months, are easier to peel, and usually have larger cloves. For these reasons, the cook in the house often prefers hard-neck varieties. They have a wooden, hard center stalk and a clove configuration of usually a single layer all the way around. 

How should I store Garlic? 

All garlic heads should be stored in a dry, cool, dark place. Do not keep it in the refrigerator. Do not store in a plastic bag. It needs ventilation. Store the garlic as a whole head, and don’t break it up until you are ready to use it. It is absolutely fascinating that something so delicious could possibly be so good for you. Eating ½ to 1 clove a day has been shown to reduce LDL blood cholesterol by 9% and increase HDL (the good kind). 

How can I store garlic for more than 6-9 months? 

Because garlic only lasts 6-9 months, it is important to process and preserve garlic when it is fresh. That way, you will have it all year long. 

Instructions

1. Peel the garlic. You can break open the head of garlic and drop it into boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer it to a cold bath of water. 

2. Remove the skins (should be easier at this point)

3. Take the bare clove and put it in your food processor

4. Chop to the consistency you like while you intermittently drizzle in olive oil. 

5. Transfer to small containers (size: the amount you will consume in a month’s time)

6. Label the containers with the date and put them in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for a year. 

You can take one container out and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 30 days safely, with no other preservatives. 

How do you grow garlic? 

It is a lot like planting a tulip. 

• Garlic likes well-worked-up soil with good drainage. (You should put triple 16 fertilizer in the soil while working it up.) 

• Plant garlic cloves in the ground in the fall. You should plant them two to three inches deep.  

• Fertilize again around the first of March, then again the first of April. 

• In the spring, pinch out the stalk and flower head. (Be sure to take that into the house and cook with it; it has a great garlic flavor.) This allows the energy to go to the head of the garlic rather than the flower, thus growing a larger head. 

• Harvest: The first week of July, you will notice the stalk turning yellow in color. That is the signal that it is time to harvest. Dig and hang by the stalks in a cool, dry, dark place, away from sunlight. It’s ready for consumption.

What is 16-16-16 fertilizer? 

It is an all-purpose fertilizer with balanced ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.