Garlic
Garlic
- Garlic, Allium sativum, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae.
- Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, scallion, chive, and rakkyo.
- Garlic has been used throughout history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
- The garlic plant’s bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant.
February – May
Description
- The leaves, and flowers on the head (spathe) are also edible, and being milder in flavor than the bulbs, they are most often consumed while immature and still tender.
- Additionally, the immature flower stalks (scapes) of the hardneck types are sometimes marketed for uses similar to asparagus in stir-fries.
- The papery, protective layers of “skin” over various parts of the plant are generally discarded during preparation for most culinary uses, though in Korea immature whole heads are sometimes prepared with the tender skins intact.
- The root cluster attached to the basal plate of the bulb is the only part not typically considered palatable in any form.
