Garlic

Packed the car with garlic and headed for market.  The smell was pungent and wonderful for the hour and 15 minute drive.  Garlic is a favorite at our house.  We use it medicinally and in our cooking.  One of our favorite is roasted garlic.  Just cut the tops off the whole bulb and place in a baking pan make sure you have enough bulbs for each individual.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Cover and bake about 45 minutes.  For a quick snack, a short-cut is to use a ceramic coffee cup, place the bulb (remember to cut the top off exposing the individual cloves)  in the cup, drizzle with olive oil and microwave about 45 seconds.  Serve  with a good  asiagio cheese  home-made crusty bread.  Add some heirloom tomatoes and you've got a gourmet meal.

During the winter we always have garlic on hand.  Take the first sign of a cold.  You can make a poultice and place on your feet to combat croup.  Cover feet with petroleum jelly and then place the crushed garlic on the bottom of your feet and wrap your feet in plastic wrap and put on socks.  When you can smell garlic on the breath it has been on long enough.

We have also used the garlic to help eliminate teenage acne due to sweating during sports.  Just cut a clove in half and rub the juice on the face after it has been washed.  Some people are allergic to garlic.  Use with caution.



             HOW TO MAKE GARLIC SALT

The planted garlic will send up a flower, or garlic scape.  This needs to be cut off so the energy will go into forming a larger bulb.  The flower below had bloomed before I cut it off.  Sprinkle the blossoms over scrambled or deviled eggs.  Top a salad with them or use anywhere you would like a hint of garlic taste.

To make the garlic salt I cut the blossoms off the flower head, gathered a handful of scapes and chopped the entire scape finely. Also  use full bulbs of garlic

Add chopped garlic to course sea salt and mix well.  Let set about 24 hours so the salt will absorb the garlic oils. This  course salt will be used in a salt grinder.

Spread salt on a large baking sheet and put in a warm oven, 250 degrees, until the garlic is dry, about a day or so.  Stir often.  When completely dry, put in airtight containers.  You can also add other dried foods ie:  tomatoes,red or green peppers, chillie peppers, onions, even eggplant, squash, or herbs. 

 I use approximately 1 large garlic bulb to 1&1/2- 2 cups of salt.  If you make it to strong, just add more salt after it is dried.

GARLIC SALT

This is how to make garlic salt that can be dispenced from a salt shaker.  Follow the above procedures, except use ground sea salt.  I usually just use the garlic bulbs for this salt.

After you have dried the salt throughly in the oven, put the salt in a blender or food processor and blend until fine.

HOW TO GROW GARLIC

Plant individul cloves of garlic in the fall.  Garlic likes well composted, loose soil.  For my area elephant garlic needs to be planted in the green-house because the winters are too cold, but other hard-neck varities do well planted outside. Plant garlic leaving 8 inches between cloves.  I add a 2 inch layer of compost and then a 4 inch layer of old hay or straw over top.  Water well  

if you do not get sufficient moisture during the fall.  In the spring the garlic will push through the mulch.  Keep moist and cut the scapes off to allow for bigger bulbs.  Many people ask me if they can just plant garlic from the store.  I say yes, but get a good hard-neck variety, usually has a red tinge to it.  They seem to produce better than the california white you find most available.  Elephant garlic you find at the stores can also be planted.

To Harvest:  When the tops turn yellow and dry out the garlic is ready for harvesting.  Dig out the  entire plant.  Leave on the long stems, bundle them together and hang in a shed or garrage out of the sun.  Allow for good air circulation.  When cured about a month or two, cut stems off 2 inches above the bulb and store out of direct light.  Most garlic will last through the winter with the exception of Elephant garlic.  Use it first.