Sorry about the lack of updating, I've been swamped.
Michael sent the following email:
The other night I made some garlic bread. Instead of using butter, I decided to drizzle olive oil on the baguette. I then crushed a few cloves of garlic and spread on the bread and then added a little bit of salt. I placed the bread in the toaster oven and twenty minutes later when I went to take a look at the garlic bread, I was shocked. The garlic turned green! This has never happened in all my years of cooking. The cloves looked good when I crushed it so I can't understand what could have happened. Have you ever heard of anything like this?
I'm pretty sure it was the olive oil that turned the garlic green. I have seen it turn onion green so yeah. I think that's what happened.
Any other opinions about the issue?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007
Garlic trivia
A while ago (almost two years ago now, wow!), I asked how everyone keeps their garlic. I had an incident in which my garlic sprouted in my kitchen. A lot of people responded to my questions:
Roger said:
garlic should be stored in a paper bag.
eLisa wrote:
Well I don't really know about garlic in specific, but I do know about onions. You keep onions in a brown paper bag in the low humidity side of your crisper and they stay firm and do not sprout for a really long time. I use my onions within a month, so I don't know how much longer than that that they would keep. Perhaps garlic is similar? I just buy new garlic whenever mine gets soft or sprouts and never thought about trying to keep it in the frig cause I heard it was a no-no like you did. I am going to try the brown paper bag thing now that you've got me thinking about it!
Arthur:
If your garlic sprouted that quickly, then it was ready to sprout. I worked in the Caribbean and bought garlic by the case. Sometimes it would all sprout in a couple of weeks, other times I could keep it for months. The only advice that I can give you is to buy high quality bulbs, keep them cool and in the dark, and don't use any sprouts. I'm sure that a garlic farmer could give you much better advice.
Patrick sent this email:
I have tried various ways of keeping garlic and I still feel the best way is to store it in the fridge where it stays dark and cool. I keep it in one of the veg. draws with my onions(which I keep in a plastic bag) and this seems to keep the garlic fresh and it lasts the longest. Like you I have kept my garlic stored in the dark , but in a a cabinet and it too, started to blossum. I think the cool temp. is what helps keep it fresh the longest. Hope we hear about other ideas!
Fritz said:
I have seen small ceramic crocks that were sold as storage for garlic, claiming to keep it fresh longer. When I buy garlic it is alot like buying bananas. The state that the garlic is in at the time of purchase will tell me alot about how long it has till it is compromised. I try to find it in the best posssible state and then use it up as soon as possible.
Annie left this comment:
I keep fresh garlic flavorful by peeling the buds clean, then packing the cloves tightly in a small jar, then cover with olive oil...they stay firm. I keep them in the fridge, although have been meaning to try storing it in the pantry to see just how long it will keep.
Simple suggested:
I keep my garlic in a ceramic crock on the kitchen counter so it's always nearby. I can purchase 4-5 head and still come to the end of 3 weeks without it being compromised. Garlic needs to be in a dry, dark environment for best storage, but you should carefully choose only the best at the store to prolong your garlic's "shelf life."
Eric also said:
Not unlike the other garlic aficionados, we keep our garlic in a little ceramic crock with dime-sized holes all over its circumference. Whenever we maked chili, spaghetti or any other dish that we feel could use some, it's right there.
Last week, Dan raised the question again:
After my consultations, I think the most popular method is to keep the garlic in a sort of "cookie jar" ceramic container, screw the cap tightly and not let any light see the garlic.
I still keep it in the fridge, but I have to say that it softens a bit, I'm pretty sure that is not how it is supposed to be.
Does anyone have any more suggestions?
Roger said:
garlic should be stored in a paper bag.
eLisa wrote:
Well I don't really know about garlic in specific, but I do know about onions. You keep onions in a brown paper bag in the low humidity side of your crisper and they stay firm and do not sprout for a really long time. I use my onions within a month, so I don't know how much longer than that that they would keep. Perhaps garlic is similar? I just buy new garlic whenever mine gets soft or sprouts and never thought about trying to keep it in the frig cause I heard it was a no-no like you did. I am going to try the brown paper bag thing now that you've got me thinking about it!
Arthur:
If your garlic sprouted that quickly, then it was ready to sprout. I worked in the Caribbean and bought garlic by the case. Sometimes it would all sprout in a couple of weeks, other times I could keep it for months. The only advice that I can give you is to buy high quality bulbs, keep them cool and in the dark, and don't use any sprouts. I'm sure that a garlic farmer could give you much better advice.
Patrick sent this email:
I have tried various ways of keeping garlic and I still feel the best way is to store it in the fridge where it stays dark and cool. I keep it in one of the veg. draws with my onions(which I keep in a plastic bag) and this seems to keep the garlic fresh and it lasts the longest. Like you I have kept my garlic stored in the dark , but in a a cabinet and it too, started to blossum. I think the cool temp. is what helps keep it fresh the longest. Hope we hear about other ideas!
Fritz said:
I have seen small ceramic crocks that were sold as storage for garlic, claiming to keep it fresh longer. When I buy garlic it is alot like buying bananas. The state that the garlic is in at the time of purchase will tell me alot about how long it has till it is compromised. I try to find it in the best posssible state and then use it up as soon as possible.
Annie left this comment:
I keep fresh garlic flavorful by peeling the buds clean, then packing the cloves tightly in a small jar, then cover with olive oil...they stay firm. I keep them in the fridge, although have been meaning to try storing it in the pantry to see just how long it will keep.
Simple suggested:
I keep my garlic in a ceramic crock on the kitchen counter so it's always nearby. I can purchase 4-5 head and still come to the end of 3 weeks without it being compromised. Garlic needs to be in a dry, dark environment for best storage, but you should carefully choose only the best at the store to prolong your garlic's "shelf life."
Eric also said:
Not unlike the other garlic aficionados, we keep our garlic in a little ceramic crock with dime-sized holes all over its circumference. Whenever we maked chili, spaghetti or any other dish that we feel could use some, it's right there.
Last week, Dan raised the question again:
As my wife and I were cooking Saturday night, I mentioned that I didn't think it was necessary to put garlic in the refrigerator. She thought I was probably right, but that she'd always kept it there "just because". I thought you might have some insight either way.
BTW - I'm glad you don't think Brian is old at 45. I'll be 43 in a couple of weeks, and I'm starting to feel the mileage on the odometer.
After my consultations, I think the most popular method is to keep the garlic in a sort of "cookie jar" ceramic container, screw the cap tightly and not let any light see the garlic.
I still keep it in the fridge, but I have to say that it softens a bit, I'm pretty sure that is not how it is supposed to be.
Does anyone have any more suggestions?
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