Garlic

[donna]

Garlic has been popular for thousands of years. The Egyptians were one of the first to use garlic.

Garlic was brought to America in late 1400s to 1500s by the Spanish. The explorer Cortes planted garlic in Mexico. He noted that the Indians of Peru really liked it.

Native Americans used wild garlic for food and medicine. They made a tea with garlic. They also ate it raw, as the green shoots were their cure for scurvy.

During the 1800s the Shakers, a religious community , sold herbs, including garlic for medicinal purposes. It became very popular.

However, some in America did not like garlic because of smell it left. But, by the early 1900s Americans changed their mind about garlic. This was because of the influx of Europeans. These groups introduced recipes with garlic that were enjoyed by many.

Today, garlic is very popular and used in foods. Most garlic in the United States is grown in California. Some does come from Mexico.

If you want to plant garlic, now, fall is the perfect time. Many of the seed companies like Parks and Burpee are promoting garlic at this time.

 

[nitrofd]

I use it to keep the vampires away.it works......

 

[donna]

Recipe for Roasted Garlic

1 medium head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Slice 1/4 inch off top of garlic bulb. Place in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until outside is lightly browned and garlic cloves are soft. When cool enough to touch, squeeze each clove to extract softened garlic.

 

[kholland]

As much as I love garlic I am not tempted to try the Garlic Ice Cream I have heard of.

 

[donna]

I have this great little cook book on garlic. It is in shape of garlic bulb. It is "Cooking with Garlic" by Publications International, Ltd., 2005. It has great recipes for appetizers, meats (beef, lamb, pork and poultry), pasta, seafood, side dishes and soups. Many wonderful recipes using garlic and fun to make and share.

 

[nitrofd]

I can't wait till diane sees this thread as I bet she has been to the garlic festival in Gilmour, cal..

 

[nitrofd]

I have this great little cook book on garlic. It is in shape of garlic bulb. It is "Cooking with Garlic" by Publications International, Ltd., 2005. It has great recipes for appetizers, meats (beef, lamb, pork and poultry), pasta, seafood, side dishes and soups. Many wonderful recipes using garlic and fun to make and share.

Who needs a cookbook for garlic.i put it in everything.

 

[donna]

We use to live in California and went to Garlic Festival one year while there.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Thanks for this Donna. There's garlic in pretty much everything in this house. My husband did ask if it has to be included in everything. He could have said something earlier, it just improves everything except maybe oatmeal. Soup, any tomato sauce, chicken dishes, any roasts, gravies, potatoes, veggie dishes. To me, egg dishes to not do well with it but that's probably personal. OH, and rice, so good with rice.

Garlic bread, made yourself is a super way to use bread that isn't fresh enough for sandwiches, and when everyone is tired of potatoes and rice as a side dish. Just melt butter or margarine ( we use yogurt butter ), throw in some minced garlic, brush it on, lay it in a hot oven for a few minutes.

They sell little bottles of crushed and minced garlic, and for we garlic freaks, BIG jars of minced. It's a pain sometimes, peeling all those cloves. Besides, takes a long time getting the garlic smell from your fingers. Hate that, really follows you around for awhile! It'd be tough to wear a necklace made entirely of garlic, think I'd take my chances with the vampire.

 

[pamc153PA]

Recipe for Roasted Garlic

1 medium head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Slice 1/4 inch off top of garlic bulb. Place in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until outside is lightly browned and garlic cloves are soft. When cool enough to touch, squeeze each clove to extract softened garlic.

This is really good, too. Very mellow garlic flavor, not at all like uncooked garlic. We use it in things like dips, and on things like bruschetta--yum! My mouth is actually watering as I write this!

 

[FarawayFriend]

I like garlic very much, but I would not go as far as to say it is as good as 10 mothers ...
And if you have not eaten it yourself, it can ruin your night ... once my husband came home from a business dinner and they had shrimps with garlic. I was already asleep when he came to the bedroom, but I awoke from that smell ...

 

[18thVirginia]

Donna, there is nothing like home-grown garlic, it's so much sweeter than what you get in the store. There are some specialty garlic suppliers whose product is a better grower if you live in the South or Texas, where garlic can struggle. They have varieties that work much better than what you can get from Burpee's.

I've grown it and it makes a great gift for your friends. Of course, with a Louisiana man for a husband, where garlic is part of The Trinity, we didn't have much left over.

http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/

 

[donna]

Gilroy, California is known as the garlic capital of the world. They have Garlic Festival every year. This year, 2014 it was held July 25-27.
See their website: http://gilroygarlicfestival.com/

 

[18thVirginia]

The best garlic bread ever is from Commander's Palace in New Orleans. You take a baguette style loaf of French bread--about 14 inches long--and cut in half.

Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter in a skillet, add 2 cloves of garlic pureed and heat garlic slightly. Brush the butter and garlic on each lengthwise side of the bread. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup finely chopped dill and 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 for 5 to 8 minutes, until very hot. Cut each side of bread into 1" slices and serve immediately. Great as an appetizer or with soup and salad.

**You really must use fresh garlic for this recipe and freshly grated cheese. The dill gives it a special flavor.

 

[diane]

Oh, garlic ice cream is indeed unexpectedly delightful! I'm sure Ben and Jerry would grab it if they thought it would sell to the rest of the country!

Garlic scampi is one of my very favorite seafood dishes. Garlic is wonderful, too, just to open a clove or two and rub it around the salad bowl before you put anything in it. Really remarkable how it sparkles then!

 

[Northern Light]

Thanks for this Donna. There's garlic in pretty much everything in this house. My husband did ask if it has to be included in everything. He could have said something earlier, it just Try wipinimproves everything except maybe oatmeal. Soup, any tomato sauce, chicken dishes, any roasts, gravies, potatoes, veggie dishes. To me, egg dishes to not do well with it but that's probably personal. OH, and rice, so good with rice.

Garlic bread, made yourself is a super way to use bread that isn't fresh enough for sandwiches, and when everyone is tired of potatoes and rice as a side dish. Just melt butter or margarine ( we use yogurt butter ), throw in some minced garlic, brush it on, lay it in a hot oven for a few minutes.

They sell little bottles of crushed and minced garlic, and for we garlic freaks, BIG jars of minced. It's a pain sometimes, peeling all those cloves. Besides, takes a long time getting the garlic smell from your fingers. Hate that, really follows you around for awhile! It'd be tough to wear a necklace made entirely of garlic, think I'd take my chances with the vampire.

Try wiping your hands on stainless steel, a knife (blade away from you, of course) or a pot. It works for me.. Or wear gloves if prepping a lot.

 

[pamc153PA]

I'm sorry, anything with garlic is just . . . good.

 

[GELongstreet]

I even say - garlic withouth anything else is good! Though I prefer it on toasted bread with molten salty butter.

 

[diane]

Garlic bread can be a slice of heaven! Once a celebrity chef passed through town and stopped to do some cooking at one of the churches' soup kitchens. He whomped up the best spaghetti and garlic bread anybody, homeless or otherwise, ever tasted in these parts since Mama Rizzo had her Sicilian restaurant here. Mama was gone a long time ago!

 

[donna]

My Grandma and Mom (Italians) made the best garlic bread. I just love it.