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Is there a significant difference in the quality of garlic found in grocery stores?
The other day, I made a recipe which called for 40 cloves of garlic. I was pretty disappointed with the result. Part of me thinks it was because I used a large quantity of garlic I had leftover, but it was grown overseas. Should the garlic I used make a difference?
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There are a few different varieties of garlic commonly found in grocery stores. They range in flavors and pungency from very mild, to nearly hot. I find the larger varieties with white skin have good flavor, but can be more mild and require more cloves than recipes call for. The purple skin kinds tend to have a good quality that meets most recipes.
More importantly than the variety, is the freshness of your garlic. As it is stored, the oils and moisture in the cloves evaporate and i'll say "sour" for lack of a better word, leaving the garlic without much ooompf, and maybe even turning it bitter.
I'd love to know what recipe you're making that requires 40 cloves of garlic! Would you care to share?
More importantly than the variety, is the freshness of your garlic. As it is stored, the oils and moisture in the cloves evaporate and i'll say "sour" for lack of a better word, leaving the garlic without much ooompf, and maybe even turning it bitter.
I'd love to know what recipe you're making that requires 40 cloves of garlic! Would you care to share?
source(s):
I rely mostly on personal experience, but thought you'd like to see this website for more info.
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/overview.htm
I rely mostly on personal experience, but thought you'd like to see this website for more info.
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/overview.htm
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Thanks for the answer! Alton Brown's "40 cloves and a chicken" recipe, as found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/40-cloves-and-a-chicken-recipe/index.html. The garlic I used was grown in China and a bit old. Part of why I think the garlic must not have been pungent enough is the fact that the smell came out of my fingers in less than 24 hours... after handling about 50 cloves.
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Yes, definitely, there are many different types of garlic and depending on what you cook, the freshness of them can be very important, not to mention the size of each clove!
freshness of the garlic is very key. It looses its pungency very quickly. Next time buy the garlic if you can from an organic grocer, they usually have the freshest in my experiences.
source(s):
My life experiences
My life experiences
Garlic is an aromatic, blub portion a root.
The aromatic part of that is particularly important. After being harvested, garlic immediately begins to loose its flavor. Not only does it expel the aroma and flavour that we all love, but it also absorbs the gasses and smells around it.
Importantly, many produce departments store garlic (both in the backroom storage area and on shelves) beside Onions. Onions have a pungent smell and when left for weeks or months beside each other, the garlic is often overwhelmed by both the onions and the length of time on the shelf. It looses its falvour.
Worse yet, some produce departments store garlic with fruit such as Oranges and Grapefruits. These fruits emit ethane gas that negate the flavours of many products and usually speed up decomposition.
The best place to buy garlic is at a local farmers market. Not only will the local farmer know the exact type of garlic they're offering, they will be able to tell you about the flavors of it. If you purchase a freshly braided bunch of garlic, it will last for more than a year at home. Braids usually have at least 8 bulbs and often up to 30. I purchase large wreaths of garlic from my local farmers market each year and am consistently happy with the results!
http://www.wreathsbydesign.ca/images/wreaths/garlic_wreath600.jpg
The aromatic part of that is particularly important. After being harvested, garlic immediately begins to loose its flavor. Not only does it expel the aroma and flavour that we all love, but it also absorbs the gasses and smells around it.
Importantly, many produce departments store garlic (both in the backroom storage area and on shelves) beside Onions. Onions have a pungent smell and when left for weeks or months beside each other, the garlic is often overwhelmed by both the onions and the length of time on the shelf. It looses its falvour.
Worse yet, some produce departments store garlic with fruit such as Oranges and Grapefruits. These fruits emit ethane gas that negate the flavours of many products and usually speed up decomposition.
The best place to buy garlic is at a local farmers market. Not only will the local farmer know the exact type of garlic they're offering, they will be able to tell you about the flavors of it. If you purchase a freshly braided bunch of garlic, it will last for more than a year at home. Braids usually have at least 8 bulbs and often up to 30. I purchase large wreaths of garlic from my local farmers market each year and am consistently happy with the results!
source(s):
I worked in a few produce departments when I was in school and I enjoy cooking.
I worked in a few produce departments when I was in school and I enjoy cooking.
There is definitely a quality difference, and it really bothers me! I can't find garlic that isn't grown in China in any of my local grocery stores, and the stuff is OLD. To find garlic that's reasonably fresh, I have to go to the farmer's market. The difference is really, really noticeable. The farmer's market garlic has a powerful scent that takes over the room when you're handling it, and the cloves are almost crispy in texture. The ancient garlic from China is barely noticeable unless you hover over it, and the cloves are bendy and pliable. Ick!
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