Garlic-(Allium sativeum )Liliaceae Perennial
Aromatic garlic is a herb that has been known and valued in nutrition and medicine since antiquity. It is thought to have originated in south- eastern Siberia and spread from there to ancient Egypt, Greece, Italy and other countries. It is also mentioned in ancient Chinese writings.
The garlic bulb is composed of tightly clustered bulblets, or “cloves”, and the plant is propagated, in spring, by these bulblets. Propagation by seed is not recommended; it is slow and not always reliable. Plant the curved segment with its root –end down in a sunny, well- drained position in previously dug and manured soil. Press each bulblet into drills 5 cm (2 inches) deep , cover with more soil and lightly firm down. It is a good idea to plant several in a row, keeping them 15 cm (6 inches )apart. Do not let the ground dry out, a little watering each day is needed if there is no rain or drizzle. The segment swill soon send up pale green flat leaves and the plants are usually ready to harvest in about six months, when the bulbs should be dug up.
Garlic flower look like a giant chive flower, although the colour is creamy rather than mauve. When the flowers have begun to fade and the leaves start to turn yellow and to shrivel , the bulbs are mature enough to harvest. Dig them up, shake off the excess soil, lice off the long roots, plait the remaining leaves clinging to the top of the bulbs and hang them in a dry, airy place. When the knobs of garlic have hardened, remove any remaining foliage and store where the air can circulate around them, otherwise they will become mildewed. A large, open weave basket makes an excellent storage place.
There are several varieties of garlic; the smooth, transparent skins that cover the bulbs differ in colour from white, to pink, and mauve. The flavour varies in the degree of pungency as well. We were once given a “Belgian garlic” which developed a bulb the size of a cricket ball with no segments it was mild in flavour with a nutty texture.
In the garden, garlic is compatible with roses and helps to repel aphids. A garden spray made from crushed garlic cloves and other natural ingredients acts as an insect repellent. Certain commercial companies are now manufacturing garlic sprays which are obtainable from some nurseries.
Culpeper says that this powerfully flvoured herb is owned by mars and that “…. Its head is vehement; and in choleric men it will add fuel to the fire. In men oppressed by melancholy, it will attenuate the humour”. He is also lavish in his praise of its many virtues for the betterment of health. This is equally true today.
Uses:
Culinary – Besides being a nutritious herb, it is also a necessity in the kitchen for flavoring many dishes. Before using, break off as many segments as will be needed, peel away the tissue like covering, and then use it as directed in the recipe. Sometimes all you need to do is to rub a salad bowl, or a casserole dish, with a cut clove of garlic. A marvelous French provincial mayonnaise ,called aioli , is made with quantities of garlic crushed to a pulp, then made like a class mayonnaise with beaten egg yolk and olive oil incorporated drop by drop. It is eaten as an accompaniment to globe artichokes, asparagus, steamed fish or poultry, snails or boiled potatoes.
It is said that if one eats garlic over a long period of time, the system assimilates its distinctive odours and they do not stay on the breath, or emanate from the pores of the skin.
Garlic is accepted as a flavouring in almost every country’s cuisine, whether in recognizable amounts or in discreet quantities. It is paramount in regional Mediterranean dishes, and also goes well with lamb, pork, veal, beef, and curries. It brings out the flvaour of tomatoes, eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini (courgettes). Garlic is used widely in Asian cooking, in many salads and certain sauces. Hot, garlic- flavoured bread is a favorite
Medicinal – we are grateful to Clare Wilmot, a friend and brilliant naturopath and owner of the Triad Clinic in St lves, new South Wales, for allowing us to quote her on garlic’s many medicinal properties;
