I started trimming the cured garlic, this afternoon

[Siwsan]

This year's crop is not quite as abundant as last year but plenty enough for me, with some to share. Not a whole lot of BIG bulbs, this year, but I use all sizes. The really small ones are either broken into cloves and taken as a supplement or smashed, whole, and put in with the herbs and veg I stuff into a chicken before I roast it. (onion, carrots, celery, fresh thyme, rosemary and sage). Also use them when I use the carcass to make broth.

There was more purple bulbs than in past years. This was all started by my uncle, years ago. Some years there's barely any of the purple. I do try to plant some in a specific area but the truth is, it's growing in pretty much every garden space there is on this property. And I'd like to try some new varieties.

So, this is about half of the crop. There's still some I want to let cure for another week and some ready to trim but I was developing a blister from trimming the bulb from the stem and the 'beard' from the bulb.

[onecaliberal]

1. That's great. How is the purple different?

[Siwsan]

4. Slightly stronger flavor is what I've read.

It is also higher in Allicin which is an anti inflammatory. I'll probably use the smaller purple cloves as a medicinal supplement.

It's been so long since I had some nice big cloves, I'm going to figure out a way to do a comparison with the white garlic.

[onecaliberal]

8. Seems like you could use the purple on most things.

I don’t know if the heat has anything to do with it in your neck of the woods, but I’m battling the heat here. It’s burning everything.

[Rebl2]

2. Looks like

a lot of garlic to me!
I used to love garlic when I was younger, but as I have aged not crazy about it anymore. Seems strange to me.

[Siwsan]

7. I cook with a lot of garlic.

I love it in mashed potatoes but it goes into a whole lot of what I make. I turn some into a paste to make it easier to incorporate into certain recipes.

I even swallow small, bruised cloves whole as a nutritional supplement. My grandfather used to chew up a couple of BIG cloves, every morning. He lived to 97. I'm convinced the only reason he died, then, was he was just ready to go.

[PJMcK]

3. Wow! That's a lovely crop!

My wife has a small greenhouse and she's growing cucumbers, green beans, yellow squash, tomatoes, lettuce, basil, rosemary, thyme and parsley. She's started harvesting the goodies and I know we'll be eating fresh stuff for a while!

Congratulations on your beautiful garlic.

[Siwsan]

6. I used some yesterday

I picked the ripe grape tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash and chopped an onion. Then sauteed some salmon in olive oil, smashed some garlic and let it soften as the salmon finished then added the veg. Added some angel hair pasta, fresh parmesan and Basil.

Since my garden was such a flop last year, I planted less this year. Just tomatoes (Early Girl, Grape, San Marzano and Marinara) some sweet and hot peppers and the summer squash. Of course, THIS year things are going gang busters. Figures.

My herb garden has Basil, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic Chives, Dill and Oregano. The Rosemary and some of the Basil are potted so I can bring them in when the weather turns cold. I'm going to snip some Sage and root it so I can have a few pots of that, this Winter. I am going to save some Dill seeds and see if I can get some to grow in pots, too.

[2naSalit]

5. Nice haul!

[housecat]

9. beautiful

[Ligyron]

10. Somebody once told me the purple was "cajun garlic".

Said it grew where it was less likely to freeze. But I know squat about growing garlic. All I know is the purple I've run into was larger, juicer and all round more user friendly.

[erronis]

11. I've become a fan of black garlic - essentially slow cooked with the Maillard reaction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_garlic
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-black-garlic

I haven't tried to make it yet - need a slow cooker that can run for several weeks.

But the jarred versions ($29/pound) is incredible. There is none of the sharpness or pungency of fresh or powdered/flaked. (I love garlic in most everything - my partner and friends, not so much...)

[Siwsan]

12. I'd like to try and grow black garlic

I'll have to look into where I can get some.

[erronis]

15. It's actually just regular garlic - whole garlic cloves that are slowly cooked.

No special variety. And the nice thing is that you can make it without even separating the cloves from the head or peeling the cloves. Once it's "cooked", the innards are like a jam and can be scooped out.

The commercial ones ($29/pound) use pre-peeled cloves which is nice but not necessary.

[Siwsan]

16. Duh! I saw a picture of a bulb cut, exposing black cloves. Didn't realize it was baked.

[fierywoman]

13. Well, you're safe from vampires for this year!

[Siwsan]

14. So true!