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GARLIC
Garlic is so widely used that it needs no list of recipes. Probably about 75% of all the recipes listed here use garlic. It is
adds flavor to almost any savory dish. If you have been tricked into the convenience of using garlic powder
or the minced garlic that comes in little glass jars, it is my duty to call you back to the land of REAL garlic!
We grow ten varieties of garlic chosen for their taste--not just their yield or shelf life. Most of the garlic you buy in
the store is all of one variety called silver white, that stores very well, but it is also pretty annoying to peel. In fact, the harder it is to
peel a particular variety of garlic, the longer it's storage life will be. You'll notice that some of the varieties we grow, especially those
with extremely large cloves, peel very easily, but they won't store for more than a few months before they start
to dry out and get a little wrinkled. We distribute these varieties throughout the summer and then
give out those that store the best in the fall. You'll also notice that much of the garlic you get from the CSA will have purple
or brown markings on the skin and sometimes on the cloves as well--these are normal characteristics of the varieties we grow. Fresh garlic that
hasn't been stored a long time also has a crisp texture more like a water chestnut--that's how you can tell the garlic
you are buying has not been sitting in storage too long.
One extra idea of eating garlic that I will add here is how to prepare roasted garlic. Simply take a bulb of garlic (a whole bulb, not just one clove!) and slice it once across the top (opposite the end where the roots attach)--just deep enough to cut through the skin and expose the top of each of the cloves. Place it with the sliced end facing up on a small piece of aluminum foil that is just big enough to cover the whole thing when you are done. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil (~1tsp for one whole bulb) over the top of the bulb so it'll seep into the cloves. Close the foil tightly over the bulb and then bake it at 425 degrees for 30-45 minutes. The taste mellows more the longer you cook it, and it's sharper and spicier if you take it out earlier. Spread it on crackers or toast or just pop them in your mouth! |