A Stinky Rose By Any Other Name
Can you imagine a culinary world without garlic? It’s hard to believe, but some food historians say that its widespread use in American cooking goes back no further than the mid 1960s.
Historically, garlic has been revered for its many mythical and healing properties. It was buried with the Egyptians in order to assure safe passage to the afterlife, eaten by Greek and Roman soldiers to give them courage and strength, used in World War II as a poultice on soldier’s wounds, and garlands of it have graced more than a few necks in the hopes of keeping vampires at bay.
Notwithstanding its many non-culinary virtues and uses, it fared less well in many kitchens. It was dubbed the “stinky rose” by French writer Henri Leclerc in a 1918 magazine article and its offensive smell was the reason it was never added to the culinary creations of French high society chefs.
Despite garlic’s current “can’t cook without it” status, it also had a rocky start with the American culinary community. Shunned for its less than acceptable odor, garlic was brought to our country by the Spanish in the 1400s, but it was not embraced by mainstream American cooks and chefs until Italian immigrants brought their love for fresh garlic with them to our shores. Gradually garlic found its way from their kitchens onto our plates and into our hearts.
Americans eat about two pounds of fresh garlic each per year--not only because it tastes good, but because it’s good for them. Lauded as a storehouse of minerals, it is reputed to be a powerful detoxifier of the body as well as an enhancer of the immune system.
However, the stinky rose does have quite a thorn. It is impossible to eat garlic without getting “garlic breath”--a condition which can only be cured by the passage of time. After you eat garlic, especially raw garlic, it is absorbed into your blood and lungs and no amount of tooth brushing, mouthwash swishing, or parsley chewing is going to help. It just has to work its way through and out of your system and that process will take 24-48 hours!
Most of this country’s garlic supply is grown in California with some being imported from Mexico. When purchasing garlic, look for firm, plumb bulbs that are free of green sprouts. Store the whole garlic bulbs in a wicker basket (to allow for plenty of air circulation) in a cool area of your kitchen or pantry until you are ready to use them.
If you want to grow your own garlic, purchase garlic seed cloves from a garden supplier who will be able to tell you what varieties will do well in your area. You’ll have plenty to choose from. There are more than 300 different varieties of garlic which are classified into two main categories: softneck and hardneck. The softneck is the more common variety that you’ll usually see at the grocery store. It is the garlic used to make the traditional garlic braids. It stores well for long periods of time as opposed to the hardneck which is less storage hardy.
My favorite garlic varieties, both hardneck, are the Spanish Roja and the German Red. I like to grow hardneck garlic because it offers an additional gourmet treat called garlic scapes. As the hardneck varieties mature, they send up a flower stalk which has to be cut off in order to allow the plant energy to be directed toward the growing garlic bulb. I used to throw those stalks in the compost pile. Three years ago, I found out that they were actually a delicious vegetable, with a garlicky asparagus flavor, and are considered to be a delicacy in some cultures. They don’t get tossed in the compost pile any more! In fact, I look forward to their appearance each year so I can make a special side dish of sautéed garlic scapes, red bell peppers, and shitake mushrooms.
Garlic likes well drained, sandy soil and thrives in a variety of climates. While we plant ours in the fall to harvest the following summer, you can also plant it in the spring. The fall planted garlic will mature earlier but you do run the risk of the cloves rotting in the wet soil of late winter and early spring. Planting the cloves in rows of mounded soil to encourage good drainage around the bulbs will help mitigate that situation.
Garlic is ready to harvest when the green foliage has turned brown. Use a garden pitch fork to gently tease the bulbs from the soil. Rub the dirt from the bulbs and set them outside on a picnic table or concrete porch floor in a shaded area to dry for about a week. Then store the bulbs in a cool (50 degrees F), dark area with plenty of air circulation. Check them on a regular basis and discard any that show signs of rot or insect damage.
To really appreciate the flavor or fresh garlic, try making roasted garlic bread with a head of newly harvested garlic. Take a cleaned bulb of garlic and trim off the roots. Using a serrated knife cut the top third of the bulb off, place the garlic bulb (cut side up) on a large piece of foil, drizzle the cut top with a teaspoon of olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, and wrap the foil around the garlic to form a tightly sealed packet. Place the garlic packet on a metal pie pan and roast in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until the garlic is soft. When it is it cool enough to handle, squeeze the creamy roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb, and spread them on thick slices of warm grilled rustic bread which you have lightly brushed with some of your best olive oil.
All you need to complete the meal is a roasted chicken from your local deli and a green salad. And, for a truly unique taste experience for the ultimate garlic lover, reserve a few of the roasted garlic cloves to dip in melted dark chocolate for dessert!
Share this dinner with someone you love. After dinner kissing might have to be optional!
Serves/Makes: 6
- 6 cloves roasted garlic, cooled
- dipping dark chocolate (microwavable)
Place an individual garlic clove on the end of decorative food picks or toothpicks.
Warm the chocolate according to package microwave instructions.
Dip the garlic cloves into the warm chocolate.
Made with black pepper, sea salt, linguine, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes
Serves/Makes: 8
- 1 pound linguine
- 1/3 cup best quality olive oil
- 15 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, PLUS
- 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes for passing at the table
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Cook the linguine according to package directions.
While the linguine is cooking, put the cold olive oil and garlic slices in a cold non-stick skillet and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until it just begins to turn pale gold in color. Stir gently to prevent sticking (see note).
Remove the pan from the heat. Drain the linguine and add it directly to the pan with the olive oil-garlic mixture. Gently toss the linguine to coat it with the oil.
Place the linguine in a large shallow serving bowl, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and serve immediately.
Put the salt, pepper and the 1/4 cup of red pepper flakes in small serving bowls and pass them at the table.
NOTE: Do not let the garlic get brown or burn. You want to gently simmer the garlic to release its sweetness. If the garlic browns or burns, remove the pan from the heat, cool the garlic/oil and throw it out. Wipe the pan clean and start all over again.
Made with garlic scapes, red bell pepper, grapeseed oil, salt, shiitake mushrooms, black pepper, sesame seeds
Serves/Makes: 4
- 4 cups garlic scapes, flower heads removed and discarded, cut into 1 inch pieces*
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin 1 inch strips
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the scapes, cover and boil for 2 minutes.
Remove the scapes from the water and plunge them into an ice bath for 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat.
Add the mushrooms and saute them until they are just beginning to brown.
Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the scapes, bell pepper strips, salt and pepper.
Stir fry for 5 minutes or until the scapes and peppers are heated through.
Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
*Scapes can be purchased at most Asian groceries.
related articles
Write a comment:
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/victoria-wesseler/381-garlic/