Garlic Tips

[BagCSC]

I hate the way garlic makes breath smell, but MAN...I LOVE garlic. I like to use fresh garlic as well. I dont even have a press. I always just place it on my cutting board. I then take the flat part of my large knife and press it flat. This will make removing the skin instant and once removed...just start chopping. Works great for me and is so much easier than trying to mess with a press.

Thanks for the tip about storing in fridge....guess I never realized that (runs to fridge to remove garlic).

[Upennmama]

Have you heard about garlic in a jar of olive oil being a danger because of botulism? I heard a cooking show host say it once and then I read it somewhere. It makes me paranoid. How can I avoid this danger but keep some minced garlic in oil in the fridge?

[Mama Mangia]

Make your own - but make enough for just a few days. I don't keep mine more than 3 days in the fridge - the way I use it, it wouldn't last much longer!

But I will make a small jar occasionally when I know that I am pressed for time or cooking for a crowd.

[honeylemon]

Thanks a ton! This is especially useful for me as I use loads of garlic in my cooking. I cook Indian food and Indian food uses garlic in almost every form, whole, battered, chopped, sliced, made into paste etc.

[spicekit]

I did not know that adding a pinch of salt so that it would not stick while cutting.
This is really a wonderful tip and I will try using a razor blade too sometime.
Thanks!

[pkgigharbor]

Hey Mama~I'm new to this forum and have spent the entire morning reading through the old threads. What an excellent resource. My question is: Have you ever sauteed the garlic shoots? I just returned from a tour of China and the sauteed shoots were a regular on our table. They were crisp tender and oh so yummy. I'm hoping to find a source for the shoots at our local farmers market. PK

[KYHeirloomer]

More and more farmers markets are featuring things like that, PK. The shoots are usually sold under the name "green garlic," and are like scallions---only garlic instead of onion.

Later in the season they should be selling the scapes as well; yet another gourmet treat.

[jglass]

I have such a hard time getting decent garlic in this town.
The heads are either so dry they are falling apart on their own or they have green shoots sprouting from them. Occasionally I can get decent garlic at Wal Mart but often theirs is just as bad.
A Thai friend of ours grows elephant garlic. I love when she decides to share.