Whats your Garlic ?

[chefboy2160]

Garlic , a gift to man from the gods I think . In this day and age you can buy it raw , peeled , diced or minced in oil . **** you can even buy garlic paste . Also dried , granulated garlic ,
garlic powder and garlic salt are quite common in kitchens .
I myself use granulated garlic in my cajun seasoning mixture .
My favorite Garlic to use is fresh peeled and finely diced though .
I just do not feel the taste or the flavor from the others . Granted I run a small kitchen running only 600 meals a day and I do purchase peeled garlic for my cooks , but when I do a catered event I always buy the raw heads and bust them down myself as I can taste the difference . Does any body else have a garlic fettish or am I just wierd . Linguini with white clam sauce , Marinara sauce , Scampi , and of course garlic bread ! The list can go on forever . Am I alone ? Doug ....................................

[cape chef]

I use granulated garlic in spice mixes/rubs.

Fresh bulbs and cloves is what I use for everything else.

I prefere "hard garlic" for personal planting as it creates a great firm,sweet clove. Almost no visable germ.

If you are in a large kitchen with heavy production you can buy 5# units of peeled cloves for general use.

[phatch]

I've long been convinced that garlic is another overlooked food group.

Phil

[mudbug]

I'm grow my own heirloom garlic and I have to say, if you're a garlic connoisseur, you'll never go back to regular, store bought garlic after growing your own. There are so many varieties and you can really taste the difference. Just as with anything else freshly harvested from your own garden, once you've tasted something better, it's difficult to go back.





Filaree Farms

Heirloom Garlic Varieties

Garlic World in the UK

Irish Eyes/Garden City Seeds

Growing Garlic

[Anneke]

We do quite a bit of Southern French cooking in the restaurant, and therefore use lots of garlic. We buy only bulbs which we peel AND de-germ. Every single clove! It makes a big difference, particularly for preparations that require raw garlic. Unfortunately, we still get last year's garlic delivered to us. I can't wait for this year's crop to come in: juicy and tender cloves bursting with flavour, not just heat. Yum....

[Suzanne]

Mmmm, garlic.

I have a card tacked up over my desk, stating:

Garlic is the ketchup of intellectuals

[shroomgirl]

Oh Suzanne I love it!!! The meeting we had to form Clayton Farmer's Market was a garlic tasting...17 varities of locally grown garlic...I was crying by the 6th...we stopped by the 9th... man there are some HOT garlic. That was 5 years ago.. since then I've discovered garlic scapes...incredible how could we make early summer food without it? We have fresh garlic on the market...shoot I've been using it for 3 weeks already. French shallots have appeared again... there is nothing like a FINE shallot. Nope garlic lovers use it most any form. Penzy's has a great dried garlic as do the Asian markets with the dried garlic slivers. I have on occasion bought the bulk but it does not compare....I got the tiniest green garlic this spring...so great with roasted chicken. Garlic in many forms!!!!!