Which type of garlic do you use?

I buy 5 heads of garlic at a time, and keep them in a bowl in my pantry, where it is dark and cool. I love pulling the cloves away from the head, giving them a good whack, sprinkle a little coarse salt on top and then chop away with my Kyocera Chef Knife. I love the smell of fresh garlic. Well, just recently I saw fresh peeled garlic cloves packed in multiple bags with four cloves each. You can take out just one bag and the rest stay sealed. Years ago, I used to buy a large plastic jar at Costco that had peeled cloves. For me, they are not as good as buying fresh heads. One of my daughter-in-laws uses the already chopped type. I read the label ingredients and decided they weren't for me. So, how do you take your garlic? Do you find the chopping too time consuming?

We grow our own. Nuff said.

I always peel and chop my own garlic. I use it quite often, but not large amounts at one time, so I don't find it time consuming. I'm usually chopping onions anyway. I have used the bottled stuff, but that was years ago. Wouldn't get it again.

We keep a jar of the minced stuff in the fridge just in case the fresh garlic goes bad, runs out, or doesn't give us enough time in an unimportant dish.

Strictly whole heads. The process of separating and peeling cloves is not enough of a PITA for me to go with the stuff in jars.

[Jenise]

Same as Mike. 'Peeled' means processed, and too much flavor is lost. I buy garlands from a local grower in late summer that tide me over until the new fresh crop comes in from Mexico in the early spring which I use until the fresh (never dried) garlic is available locally. The latter's the best garlic I've ever had and spoils me for everything else.

First of all one has to understand that without garlic, olive oil, and eggplant life could not exist in the Middle-East. Although pre-crushed garlic, pre-peeled garlic cloves and even frozen cubes of pre-crushed garlic are sold in supermarkets, those are purchased only by mad dogs, Englishmen and others foolish enough to go out in the noonday sun.

Most common way to buy them in Israel, Lebanon and Egypt is in net packages of 5 or 6 whole heads, the best of those imported from either Greece or Italy or, for the true lover of garlic in whole garlands, those locally raised and to be hung in the kitchen. Also very popular here is the use of very young garlic which is generally not as sharp as mature garlic and often eaten raw just as a snack with ouzo or arak.

As to other than culinary uses, the good people of the island of Corfu firmly believe that hanging cloves of garlic in each of their windows on 12 May will protect them from vampires. The proof they offer is that no-one on the island has been attacked by a vampire since 1646. Folk-wisdom and superstition do, however, have their uses because starting every year in mid-May the Corfiot scorpions (yellow and quite deadly) come out from their nests. The fumes emitted by garlic placed in windows and on door sills prevents the from entering people's homes. As to vampires, historians say that Vlad Dracula actually rather enjoyed garlic-rich stews.

Best
Rogov

Whole heads -- in season, from our farmer; out of season from the grocery store. The minced stuff in jars ain't garlic, despite the labeling. On a related note, does anyone still use a garlic press? I haven't touched ours in well over a decade.

Mark Lipton

Whole heads -- in season, from our farmer; out of season from the grocery store. The minced stuff in jars ain't garlic, despite the labeling. On a related note, does anyone still use a garlic press? I haven't touched ours in well over a decade.

Mark Lipton

I do! It's kind of chopsticks to the Chinese--grew up with it, and it's second nature to use it. Now if I'm doing a quantity, I'll go other methods, but a single clove of garlic is the first thing that goes into the bottom of the bowl for a lot of our daily salads, and for that I want the garlic almost pureed. The garlic press does that better and faster than anything else.

What I'd like to know is if anyone is using one of those roller thingies to peel the garlic. I recall a friend excited demonstrating how "fast" this thing worked--while I practically went to sleep. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I grabbed another clove and a chef knife and, SPLAT, in a fraction of the time my clove was both peeled and crushed. They went "oh".

Mark,

I am confused. Are you answering the question or asking the question about using a garlic press???

Dave,
The crazy thing is that all that was written below name wasn't written by me. Maybe it's a post by Celia that somehow was conflated with my own? Dunno, but I haven't edited it out since it's someone else's writing. For the record, I was just asking the question.

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

Oh damn...sorry guys, it was me. I clicked Edit instead of Quote--the buttons are right next to each other on my mod panel...a little power is a dangerous thing!

[Jenise]

I still use a garlic press! It's kind of chopsticks to the Chinese--grew up with it, and it's second nature to use it. Now if I'm doing a quantity, I'll go other methods, but a single clove of garlic is the first thing that goes into the bottom of the bowl for a lot of our daily salads, and for that I want the garlic almost pureed. The garlic press does that better and faster than anything else.

What I'd like to know is if anyone is using one of those roller thingies to peel the garlic. I recall a friend excited demonstrating how "fast" this thing worked--while I practically went to sleep. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I grabbed another clove and a chef knife and, SPLAT, in a fraction of the time my clove was both peeled and crushed. They went "oh".

I still use a garlic press! It's kind of chopsticks to the Chinese--grew up with it, and it's second nature to use it. Now if I'm doing a quantity, I'll go other methods, but a single clove of garlic is the first thing that goes into the bottom of the bowl for a lot of our daily salads, and for that I want the garlic almost pureed. The garlic press does that better and faster than anything else.

I'm glad that we got that straightened out, Jenise! I understand what you're saying, but these days if I need it really smushed, I just break out the mortar and pestle and whammo! Chacun à son goût.

Mark Lipton

We buy organic garlic grown by friends. I freeze a lot of it in unpeeled cloves, and braid the rest and hang it in the kitchen. The frozen garlic cloves turn translucent and softer in texture, but they peel easily and we don't notice a loss of flavour in our cooking. This allows us to buy in bulk once a year when Australian garlic is in season, and never have to throw out a mouldy clove!

I purchase garlic 3 bulbs at a time and pull away the cloves as I need them. A garlic bulb must feel heavy for its size in order for me to think it fresh enough for my table. If the bulbs seem a bit light/older, I will use them until I think they need to be retired, then I will roast, jar and cover with olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt and herbs and continue to use the roasted garlic as a spread or in rice and pasta dishes.

[Jenise]

I still use a garlic press! It's kind of chopsticks to the Chinese--grew up with it, and it's second nature to use it. Now if I'm doing a quantity, I'll go other methods, but a single clove of garlic is the first thing that goes into the bottom of the bowl for a lot of our daily salads, and for that I want the garlic almost pureed. The garlic press does that better and faster than anything else.

I'm glad that we got that straightened out, Jenise! I understand what you're saying, but these days if I need it really smushed, I just break out the mortar and pestle and whammo! Chacun à son goût.

Mark Lipton

Do you remember, like, ten years ago or more, when all of a sudden garlic presses became frowned upon because some famous chef declared that it "bruises" the garlic? Like it has tender little feelings. I still shake my head in disbelief.

[Jenise]

I purchase garlic 3 bulbs at a time and pull away the cloves as I need them. A garlic bulb must feel heavy for its size in order for me to think it fresh enough for my table. If the bulbs seem a bit light/older, I will use them until I think they need to be retired, then I will roast, jar and cover with olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt and herbs and continue to use the roasted garlic as a spread or in rice and pasta dishes.

Very clever, and virtually no waste. That's what I should do--I'll never use up this garland, and the cloves are already drying out a bit.

DSC04961.JPG

Whole heads -- in season, from our farmer; out of season from the grocery store. The minced stuff in jars ain't garlic, despite the labeling. On a related note, does anyone still use a garlic press? I haven't touched ours in well over a decade.

Mark Lipton

I have one but never use it anymore. When I was a mere bride and learning how to cook, my German Matron of Honor taught me to use a garlic press and told me NEVER to use the stuff that collected on the bottom of the press, only use the garlic that came out of the press. Such waste!

I buy the heads and peel/chop my own.

-Paul W.

I definitely do not use any garlic 'products' and prefer to chop my own. I love the stuff.

Peeling and mincing a clove of garlic is restful.
It makes your fingers sticky.
And it tastes good to lick your fingers.

John

Do you remember, like, ten years ago or more, when all of a sudden garlic presses became frowned upon because some famous chef declared that it "bruises" the garlic? Like it has tender little feelings. I still shake my head in disbelief.

I remember hearing something about that. Shortly thereafter, I believe Cook's Illustrated tested the theory and found no difference between garlic that was crushed in a press vs. other means.

I use a press whenever I want a couple of pretty well-smashed cloves.

I like to use fresh garlic - the stuff that comes pre-crushed in jars, tubes or sachets just doesn't taste as good. I buy a few cloves at a time, and usually need to stock up about once a month.

I use a garlic press when I want puree instead of bits. When I've finished peeling, chopping or crushing and the fingers smell garlicky, I wash in lemon juice to get the garlic off.

Jo Ann - your mention of using roasted garlic as a spread brought back memories of the garlic spread we ate on bread all through Peru. Oh for a crusty loaf, a dish of garlic spread and a cold Cusquena!

Mostly use fresh garlic. Occasional recipes call for other forms of garlic and I usually go with those. However, I recently found a conversion table that translates 1 clove into various other forms like powder, flakes, and granulated.

While my preference would be to use fresh garlic, there are instances where it really doesn't work. For example, some dry rubs call for granulated or powdered garlic. Substituting fresh would cause the other dry components to clump around the bits of moist fresh garlic.

I do use a press....the Zyliss Jumbo.....whenever the recipe calls for minced garlic. Seems to me that if you want it to be in tiny pieces, a press takes that to where it should be.....and does a better job of spreading the garlic flavor through the dish.