Garlic

Garlic, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

At Atwater Market, the abundance of food is astonishing. Colours, aromas, temptations abound. I managed to come home only with what was on my list - a feat of self-discipline.

Garlic Braids

Garlic Braids, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good."
Alice May Brock quotes

I have to agree. Garlic makes most things taste better. Roast a head of garlic and it is almost sweet tasting. Pasta with pesto makes a heavenly dish. And I can't imagine roasting lamb without seasoning it with fresh garlic and rosemary. Salad dressing - I think it needs garlic. So bring it on - I'll be cooking with it.

Day 26: Garlic

Day 26: Garlic, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I can't imagine life without garlic - that incredible flavour! I remember once serving a meal and every dish had garlic to a greater or lesser degree - and then I discovered that our guests did not like garlic. Travelling I was shown a restaurant in Talinn, Estonia that served garlic in everything, even the desserts.

What is astonishing is how much the flavour changes in cooking. The pungent taste of raw garlic permeates bruschetta and then seems to spread through every pore in your body. Yet roasted, you can smear the smooth, mild cloves on meat or potatoes with scarcely an effect on the local vampires.

Chicken with 24 cloves of garlic - bring it on!