Garlic semolina

What is garlic?

Garlic is a variety of perennial vegetable plant with bulbs that are easily recognizable by their smell and taste. It is commonly used as a condiment in cooking all over the world, but it can also be a food in its own right. We will see in one of the following paragraphs that it is even considered a "health food" as it is full of health benefits.

Harvesting garlic

Garlic " Allium Sativum " is rather easy to grow and grows as a bulb in all types of environments, reaching 50 to 120 cm. We consume the "head" which is composed of several cloves. Are the leaves turning yellow? This indicates that it is time to harvest.

The time between planting and harvesting varies greatly: between 4 and 9 months depending on the planting period. It is best to harvest garlic in dry and sunny weather.

Did you know? in France, garlic is harvested at the end of the summer, after having proceeded to the "knotting" which allows to finish the maturity of the plant on the ground.

David Vanille's choice: I have chosen to offer this condiment in its freeze-dried form, which allows you to have garlic at your disposal at any time while enjoying all its flavors.

The different varieties of garlic

There are different varieties of garlic:

• Early white garlic: "Thermidrome", "Messidrome", "blanc de la Drôme", early varieties
• Pink garlic from Auvergne: a semi-early spring variety
• Gayant d'Artois: a spring variety found in the north of France
• Violet garlic: "Germidour", "Vilet de Cadours", early and autumnal varieties with high yields

Did you know? china is the largest producer of garlic. It accounts for 80% of the world's production.

The origins of garlic

Garlic has been used for its nutritional and medicinal values for 5 millennia. Its origins lie in the plains of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It would have then spread in the Chinese regions before reaching the Mediterranean basin. Herodotus would have mentioned that the first social conflict in history was caused by the suppression of the garlic ration usually granted to the Egyptian workers in charge of the construction of the Pyramid of Cheops.

Its medicinal values were quickly recognized, which is why Garlic was prescribed to Greek athletes (because of its vasodilating properties), to Roman soldiers on campaign, and, according to Virgil, to harvesters during the great heat, in order to bring them strength and vigor. In other cultures, it could also be badly perceived (in particular because of its organoleptic power at the time of its ingestion, like of its digestion). Thus, in 1330, King Alfonso of Castile issued an order stating that any knight who ingested garlic could not appear at court or trade with other knights for at least one month.

It is notably through the Romans that garlic will be introduced in France, and it will mark each region by its taste and its smell which will be associated with the local culinary tradition. But it is in Provence that the garlic has made its letters of nobility.

Alexandre Dumas even said "The air in Provence is impregnated with the scent of garlic, which makes it very healthy to breathe: it is the main condiment in bouillabaisse and in the main sauces. It is used as the main condiment in bouillabaisse and in the main sauces. Crushed with oil, it is used to make a kind of mayonnaise that is eaten with fish and snails. The lunch of the Provençal lower classes often consists of a bread crouton, sprinkled with oil and rubbed with garlic.

Alphonse Daudet praised garlic for its medicinal benefits, saying that people who were almost dying were put back on their feet by preparing two or three plates of garlic soup.

This plant having been imported into Europe thanks to the Crusaders, and having made it possible to eradicate the plague in part, it was quickly attributed with antidemonic powers.

Customs and stories about garlic

In the history of various countries, we find anecdotes where garlic holds an important place:

• In France: It is said that the grandfather of the future King Henry IV would have rubbed the lips of the newborn with a clove of garlic to give him strength and power, and protect him from any curse (it is also said that it is the regular consumption of garlic that made him a famous lover). In the Middle Ages, children were also made to wear braids of garlic around their necks to protect them from witches and other vampires.
• In Siberia: Buryat beliefs suggest that the smell of garlic comes from the souls of women who have died in childbirth
• In Borneo: The Bataks give Garlic the power to find lost souls
• In India: it protects from the evil eye when the garlic bunches are tied with red wool.

Did you know? in the Mediterranean basin, hanging a braid or a bunch of garlic in front of the house protects the home from any misfortune.

How to use garlic in cooking?

Garlic is a plant that has been consumed throughout the world for thousands of years. It is highly appreciated, especially in France, to the point of being an integral part of French culinary traditions. Freeze-dried garlic is appreciated for its long shelf life and ease of use.

Garlic has a recognizable taste. Ideal to bring a Mediterranean touch to a dish, it is consumed fresh, usually chopped, freeze-dried or in cloves for marinades or to spike meat. The great talent of this condiment is to sublimate all types of dishes, whether used raw or cooked, while contributing to your overall physical well-being.

Garlic can be used chopped, whole, in a shirt, in strips, all possibilities that will allow you to use it in your raw or cooked dishes. It supports cooking rather well as long as it is integrated into a sauce or a cooking juice.

In its freeze-dried version, all you have to do is sprinkle the equivalent of half a teaspoon on your preparation to benefit from its full range of flavors.

Our recipe ideas with freeze-dried garlic

Want to discover the flavor of my garlic ? In addition to my recipes on the blog, I have composed a 3-course menu where garlic is very present and reveals all its aromas.

The starter: Snails in garlic butter

This traditional French starter is a recipe from the Burgundy region. Chives, parsley, shallots and garlic are browned before being covered with butter. It remains to mix well and to stuff the shell of snails using a piping bag. Put in the oven... excellent with a good white wine or range and farmhouse bread!

The dish : Risotto with seafood and garlic

Garlic enhances the taste of seafood risotto. To make a good risotto, simply sauté the onions in a little white wine, then add the Arborio rice. Once the rice is translucent, add some broth and watch it cook. Brown your seafood in a pan with garlic. Add to the cooked rice. You can also spice the rice with saffron as in a paella. In this recipe, freeze-dried garlic replaces minced garlic.

Dessert: Garlic Chocolate Brownies

Garlic goes wonderfully well with chocolate. It develops the flavors. Simply add freeze-dried garlic to your brownie batter. This recipe can also be made with black garlic. How to store garlic? Garlic heads can be stored at room temperature in a dry and airy place away from light. We advise you to store freeze-dried garlic in an airtight container. It will keep all its taste properties.

How to store garlic?

Garlic heads should be kept at room temperature in a dry, airy place away from light. We advise you to store freeze-dried garlic in an airtight container. It will thus preserve all its gustatory properties.