Got my garlic crush

It could be said no self-respecting meal is complete without garlic but those tiny ivory cloves pack enough punch to often wish we were breathless!

The pungent aroma, due to the sulphurous compounds in garlic (Allium sativum) which feed the bacteria in them mouth, lingers on the breath and can give cause to despair. So, if romance is in the air, avoid this double edged veg.

Even William Shakespeare wrote in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – “And most dear actors, eat no onion nor garlic for we are to utter sweet breath.”

On the other hand French gastronome Marcel Boulestin was emphatic: “It is no exaggeration to say that peace and happiness start, geographically, where garlic is being used in preparation of food.”

While benefits of garlic have been celebrated for centuries from the early Greeks and Egyptians, across both eastern and western cultures right through to modern day medicinal practices, these clever cloves have been pickled in a mix of fact and legend.

Garlic does indeed contain anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and is regarded as a powerful anti oxidant.  As a result it has, been used to fight colds and flu, treat insect bites, headaches, constipation and stomach upsets, to clear pimples, lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and so much more.

Hippocrates used garlic to treat cancerous lesion and other skin diseases; garlic was given to Egyptian slaves and to the pyramid builders to enhance their strength and to prevent illness and Roman legions used it for courage before entering battle. Of course, just about everyone knows garlic has been used throughout time to ward of evil spirits, in particular vampires, the connection being the use of garlic to treat insect bites especially those of the blood-sucking mosquito.

Everyone from the Russians to the Japanese has used garlic to enhance health or defy illness with the Welsh have their own saying: “Eat leeks in March and garlic in May then the rest of the year your doctor will play.”

There are weight-watchers who religiously drink a glass of water mixed with the juice from a freshly squeezed lemon plus two to three cloves of crushed garlic. Taken twice a day, assisted by a reduced intake of fatty or starchy foods, it is said one can lose inches and kilos. And, if determined to avoid the garlic breath syndrome, then garlic tablets could be the solution.

The list of facts, benefits and legends surrounding this plain Jane compound bulb are so many and so varied
That garlic has become a staple in both the pantry and the medicine cupboard.

And for those who would like to grow their own then the ongoing, warmish autumn early winter weather is the best time to do so.

Planting:

Plants can be grown from the small, separate cloves (sometimes called bulblets), which need to be planted pointed end up, five to seven cm below the soil surface and about 10 to 15 cm apart. You will be a sunny, well drained location and well prepared soil in which plenty of organic matter – manure, compost, has been worked through. Keep area well clear of weeds. If land space is a problem, garlic will grow well in containers or pots.
Plants grow to about 60-90cm tall during winter and spring, and flower before the top growth dies off over summer. Water regularly during summer when bulbs are forming (Saturaid will help the ground retain moisture) and add liquid fertiliser to encourage bulb growth. Before planting source bulbs from a garden centre as garlic bought form a supermarket may have been sprayed to inhibit sprouting.

Harvesting:

Once the leaves have become yellow, brown and old looking, the bulbs should be ready to be dug up – do not pull form the ground. From your one small clove, a large compound bulb, made up of numerous small cloves will have formed. To be sure your garlic is ready to harvest, don’t dig all at once and try a test dig first. Dig up one compound bulb then slice through to see if size and form are right.

To store:

Brush away all soil from bulbs and allow them to dry or cure for three to four weeks in a well ventilated room or a dry sunny, sheltered spot outside. When top and root have dried they can be cut away and bulbs can be further cleaned by removing the outer skin. Be careful not to expose those cloves!