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All About Garlic

How to buy, store, and cook with fresh garlic.

Garlic How-Tos

Garlic Capital of the World

Something stinks in Gilroy, California! That's because Gilroy is the self-styled Garlic Capital of the World! Every summer it hosts a garlic festival. Folks from around the world descend upon Gilroy to consume about two tons of garlic in any number of preparations, including garlic ice cream and chocolate garlic peanut butter cups.

The festival has grown from a sparsely-attended luncheon to an internationally-recognized event. To date, more than three million people have attended.

Garlic is the strongest-flavored, most assertive member of the lily family, which includes leeks, chives, onions, and shallots.

How to Buy and Store Garlic

Look for firm dry heads of garlic.
Store them whole and unbroken in a cool, dry, dark location. They'll stay for about two months.
To peel garlic, place the clove under the flat side of a chef's knife and gently press down with the ball of your hand, lightly crushing the clove. The skin will split, allowing you to pull it off the clove more easily.

See How to Peel and Chop Garlic >>

How Garlic Cooks

Cooking garlic mellows its hot flavor, transforming it into something savory, earthy, and nutty. Once cooked, garlic infuses deep flavor to soups and sauces and pairs wonderfully with tomatoes, parsley, onions, and ginger. The natural sugars in garlic cause it to brown nicely in butter or olive oil.

What Cuisines Use Garlic?

Some cultures have embraced garlic more fully than others. Southern European cooking uses it with a flourish, while in northern Europe, it is used only sparingly and is cooked more thoroughly to take the sting off its hot flavor.

Comments

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daws1233

Nov. 25, 2009 7:21 pm

In a recipe, does garlic thru a garlic press create the same flavor minced garlic would?

Delma

Dec. 28, 2009 6:28 pm

I would like to know the proper time to plant garlic in Texas Thanks

Delma

Dec. 28, 2009 6:32 pm

I would like to know the proper time to plant garlic in South Texas Thanks

ROBERT

Jan. 3, 2010 8:03 am

How can I save roasted garlic. Can I keep it in a jar with oil.

Remy

Feb. 6, 2010 9:54 am

I know that you can buy garlic in a jar at store chopped or whole. But i want to store my own so that its easy for me, just open the jar and used it. Thanks