Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 The Garlic Project > OK, enough with the alarming attempts at gallows humor. Any suggestions? ************* Try to begin to recognize rocambole garlic for the seasonal delicacy that it is and eagerly await next seasons harvest. ) Another idea that is probably not what you are looking for...ask your farmer if they have grown any soft neck garlic that you can purchase for storage/use throughout the winter. It would probably still be better than the stuff you buy at the grocery store. Vivian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Vivian- >Try to begin to recognize rocambole garlic for the seasonal delicacy that it >is and eagerly await next seasons harvest. ) <g> Unfortunately, all the organic garlic I was able to find in the last inter-season break had a high incidence of mite (or something) infestation, and it was terrible and extremely prone to spoilage (big surprise) not to mention being a bear to peel compared to rocambole. > Another idea that is >probably not what you are looking for...ask your farmer if they have grown >any soft neck garlic that you can purchase for storage/use throughout the >winter. It would probably still be better than the stuff you buy at the >grocery store. Hmm, that's a possibility, but I think I'll just get some taller mason jars and lay away however much garlic I can fit in the fridge. I wish it didn't have to be refrigerated, though... - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 , Don't throw the cloves at me but I'd dehydrate 'em. Then again, my family doesn't call me Dehydrator Mama for nuthin'. Now, whether or not I'd slice it (probably not - don't want to activate them!), or try to dehydrate cloves, I'm still up-in-the-air about that, but from what I've studied, the alliin is preserved in the dehydration process. Just think of how many you could fit in a mason jar dehydrated! Zowie! -Sharon, NH Deut 11:14 He will put grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will have plenty to eat. >Hmm, that's a possibility, but I think I'll just get some taller mason jars >and lay away however much garlic I can fit in the fridge. I wish it didn't >have to be refrigerated, though... >- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Sharon- >Don't throw the cloves at me but I'd dehydrate 'em. Then again, my family >doesn't call me Dehydrator Mama for nuthin'. Now, whether or not I'd slice >it (probably not - don't want to activate them!), or try to dehydrate >cloves, I'm still up-in-the-air about that, but from what I've studied, the >alliin is preserved in the dehydration process. Just think of how many you >could fit in a mason jar dehydrated! Zowie! Now THAT'S an idea! I don't know why I didn't think of it. I could pickle half of them and dehydrate the other half... I expect dehydrated whole cloves would grind up nicely into garlic powder, but can they also just be tossed into soups and whatnot in place of fresh cloves in a 1:1 ratio? What do you do with dehydrated cloves when you need some minced fresh garlic? Or should I stick to pickled for that purpose? - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 > Now THAT'S an idea! I don't know why I didn't think of it. I could pickle > half of them and dehydrate the other half... I expect dehydrated whole > cloves would grind up nicely into garlic powder, but can they also just be > tossed into soups and whatnot in place of fresh cloves in a 1:1 > ratio? What do you do with dehydrated cloves when you need some minced > fresh garlic? Or should I stick to pickled for that purpose? > > > > > - Aren't dried herbs and other flavor bit used in LESS volumn than fresh as the water has been removed? It might take some experimenting, but dried garlic and garlic powder are commonly available from the commercial crap providers; how do they do it? What do they recommend for " dosage " ? Connie H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Connie- >Aren't dried herbs and other flavor bit used in LESS volumn than fresh >as the water has been removed? Yeah, but that's because dehydration has reduced the volume dramatically, so 1T of fresh herbs would be, well, I forget, but maybe 1/2t dried. (The Joy of Cooking has the conversion factor for dried, fresh and powdered, but I really should put it on my PC or something since I'm always forgetting.) In the case of dehydrating whole cloves of garlic, though, a clove is still a clove, just a lot tinier, so unless there's something else at work, wouldn't a dried clove replace a fresh clove straight up? >It might take some experimenting, but >dried garlic and garlic powder are commonly available from the >commercial crap providers; how do they do it? What do they recommend >for " dosage " ? Garlic powder is often recommended as a booster to garlic cloves, but I've never seen any conversion factor listed between powder and cloves, and most (all?) powders have starches and/or other anti-caking agents and flow aids added, so they're not pure garlic. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 --- In , Idol <Idol@c...> wrote: In the case of dehydrating whole cloves of garlic, though, a > clove is still a clove, just a lot tinier, so unless there's something else > at work, wouldn't a dried clove replace a fresh clove straight up? Oh, right! I guess I was assuming that you were measuring crushed or chopped galic - you know, 1 tsp of garlic (fresh). Wouldn't it be a quicker drying time to at least slice them? They are so dense that I wonder if they would dry without molding as whole cloves? > > Garlic powder is often recommended as a booster to garlic cloves, but I've > never seen any conversion factor listed between powder and cloves, and most > (all?) powders have starches and/or other anti-caking agents and flow aids > added, so they're not pure garlic. > - True, not pure garlic AFAIK, but there may be some " gourmet " versions that do list a conversion factor. I tend to think that fresher and more is better in anything with garlic! There was some discussion (on this board??) about people in the 70s (?) poisoning their family and friends by giving them jars of whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil as gifts. I am not such a garlic connoseur as to want anything other than garlic woven into ropes and used over the course of the yearly cycle. I live (relatively) close to Gilroy, " the garlic capitol of the world and home of the Gilroy Garlic Festival " and mostly I see those lovely braided ropes. Connie H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Connie- >Wouldn't it be a quicker drying time to at least slice them? They >are so dense that I wonder if they would dry without molding as >whole cloves? Doubtless, but that might hurt the quality of the dried garlic. Or maybe it's mandatory because they won't properly dry otherwise. I don't know. _Don Holm's Book of Food Drying, Pickling & Smoke Curing_, which is rather vague but has a little interesting information, says garlic can be dehydrated but has no specific instructions, though it recommends pre-steaming for all vegetables. My Excalibur dehydration guide says nothing whatsoever on the subject. I guess I'll do a small trial run with one head of whole cloves and see what happens. >True, not pure garlic AFAIK, but there may be some " gourmet " >versions that do list a conversion factor. Ah, here's what Penzeys has to say: >>Garlic >> >>Garlic is probably the most heavily used seasoning in the world. All of >>the world's great cuisines, from Chinese, to Italian, to French, make >>abundant use of this pungent flavoring. The world's finest garlic is >>American, grown and harvested in central California. One pound of >>dehydrated garlic is made from 9 pounds of fresh garlic bulbs. Granulated >>garlic powder is the most popular type of garlic, since it is easy to >>sprinkle on meats, vegetables and bread, and measures easily for recipes. >> >>To rehydrate: Use 1 /2 tsp. in 1 tsp. water to equal 2 fresh cloves. It >>is important to rehydrate garlic for a few minutes before adding it to >>tart foods like tomatoes, or to sauces that contain vinegar or lemon >>juice (the acidic nature of these foods will stop the garlic flavor from >>developing to its full strength). When adding dry, use 1 /4 tsp. for each >>garlic clove needed. Sprinkle on poultry, steak, chops or fish, use about >>1 /2 tsp. per lb. with salt and pepper to taste. They sell granulated and minced dried, which looks like it might have no additives. >I tend to think that >fresher and more is better in anything with garlic! Agreed! I have noticed that garlic powder does genuinely boost garlic flavor, but I think it's helpful for only two reasons: most garlic sold today isn't really very good, and preparation methods have a major impact on how well the flavor of fresh garlic is melded, distributed and brought out. I've found, for example, that when making tomato and mozzarella salad it's best to mix minced, pureed or pressed garlic into the olive oil, then mix in the chopped basil, then let the mixture sit for a couple minutes, and only THEN mix it all into the bocconcinis and tomatoes. That way, garlic powder is completely unnecessary. >There was some discussion (on this board??) about people in the 70s >(?) poisoning their family and friends by giving them jars of whole >peeled garlic cloves in olive oil as gifts. Yeah, that's because botulism can grow nicely on garlic in the anaerobic oil environment. Garlic should never ever be stored in oil for that reason! Lacto-fermented or dehydrated garlic should be perfectly safe, though. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 >Now THAT'S an idea! I don't know why I didn't think of it. I could pickle >half of them and dehydrate the other half... I expect dehydrated whole >cloves would grind up nicely into garlic powder, but can they also just be >tossed into soups and whatnot in place of fresh cloves in a 1:1 >ratio? What do you do with dehydrated cloves when you need some minced >fresh garlic? Or should I stick to pickled for that purpose? Hi, Yes, use them 1:1 in place of fresh cloves. All you're taking out is the water when dehydrating. So toss 'em into soups, stews, etc. For mincing, simply soak in warm water - I don't like using hot - for 15-20 minutes, and then mince as usual - same as you would dried shitake, etc.. You could grind them in a spice mill, too, powdering them, using in place of ground garlic. All you'd be missing is the lead and arsenic that comes from the usual dehydrated garlic junk on the market, and who needs that. Are you going to pickle half your clove from a raw state, and the other half from roasted? I did, because depending on what I'm going for medicinally, they will be different. I'm sure you're up on all-things-garlic, but just in case, I posted a blog at my website a number of months ago that reference some interesting studies on garlic, when to use raw, when to use roasted, etc: http://www.ericsons.net/167/stinking-rose Ever have garlic ice cream? That's one of my all-time faves. -Sharon, NH Deut 11:14 He will put grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will have plenty to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 " Wouldn't it be a quicker drying time to at least slice them? They are so dense that I wonder if they would dry without molding as whole cloves? " Connie, Yes, the dehydration time would be quicker if you sliced/chopped them BUT, you'd be starting the alliin conversion to allicin, only possible when the clove is cut, crushed or chewed. And it is allicin that is the key health component to garlic, so imo, you want to protect it as much as possible. Dehydrating the clove at 120f or under would do that, as long as it was intact. -Sharon, NH Deut 11:14 He will put grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will have plenty to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Sharon- >Are you >going to pickle half your clove from a raw state, and the other half from >roasted? I did, because depending on what I'm going for medicinally, they >will be different. So far I've just pickled raw -- 39 heads in two half-gallon mason jars. My fridge space is limited, so I might not do another jar. >I'm sure you're up on all-things-garlic, but just in case, I posted a blog >at my website a number of months ago that reference some interesting studies >on garlic, when to use raw, when to use roasted, etc: >http://www.ericsons.net/167/stinking-rose Interesting, thanks. It sounds like cooking a pickled clove will achieve much the same result as roasting a clove first, though, right? >Ever have garlic ice cream? >That's one of my all-time faves. No, I haven't tried anything really exotic like garlic ice cream or squid ice cream or anything like that. I'm sure I'm missing out, though. <g> - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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