It's essential in almost every dish I have encountered and, coming from an Italian background and marrying into an Italian family, we wouldn't be caught dead without garlic in the house.
There are many types of garlic out there, depending on what kind of taste and effect you are looking for in any dish you prepare. There is:
Hardneck Garlics
These have a central flower stalk that hardens to a stem in the center of the garlic head. Tricky to grow and generally much less productive than "softneck" garlics, they are always more expensive.
ROCAMBOLE: This is the most commonly planted specialty variety. The head is cone-shaped, with bright purple skin. The uniformly sized, wedge-shaped cloves are clustered radially around the central stalk. The cloves easily pop out of their papery skins. It has a strong flavor but is rarely bitter.
ELEPHANT GARLIC: A cross between garlic and onion. The flavor is mild and the texture is similar to an onion. This is perhaps one of my all-time favorites. Large in size, it can be made into a wonderful spread by baking in a slow oven in a terecotta garlic baker. The inside of the garlic becomes the consistency of peanut butter and its aroma and richness blossom when spread on thin wafers and eaten. Best served with a good Merlot.
ITALIAN RED: A generic name given to red-skinned, hardnecked garlics of several different varieties. Softneck Garlics
These do not have a central flower stalk. These are always used for braiding. These include:
MEXICAN PINK: A common variety grown in Mexico, it is characterized by cloves that splinter outwards from the main head, somewhat like leaves on an artichoke. The flavor is often quite hot.
EARLY AND LATE CALIFORNIA WHITE: This is the main garlic variety grown commercially in California. It is very productive and is well adapted to growing in hot weather. It has tight skins over both the cloves and the whole head, which help make this garlic one of the best keepers.
Regardless of your choice, garlic has always been and always will be one of my favorites! ****Re-printed with express permission!
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