Garlic or Allium sativum is a flowering plant in the genus Allum. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia, and Iran. Humans have cultivated and consumed garlic for food flavouring and medicinal purposes for centuries.
It is a flowering plant that is easy to grow and is grown year-round in mild climates. Usually, garlic plants are propagated asexually by planting individual cloves in the garden. China, India, Bangladesh, South Korea, Egypt, and Spain are the leading producers of garlic, with China accounting for 74% of the total production. Garlic is a source of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium, and fibre.
It can boost the functioning of the immune system and protect against the common cold. It also exhibits antioxidant properties that can reduce free radicals that contribute to the ageing process.
There are many different varieties of garlic and they all have different flavour profiles and uses but a similar nutritional profile.
Hardneck garlic- Hardneck garlic is grown on a plant that produces large cloves around a flowering stock. They are the most popular variety of garlic for culinary use because they have a subtle taste and are easier to peel than other varieties of garlic.
Artichoke garlic- Artichoke garlic is a common variety of garlic widely sold in the United States. This type of garlic gets its name from the way its cloves overlap each other and resemble the appearance of an artichoke. It has a distinct flavour that resembles mustard. It is used to make garlic bread, garlic butter shrimp, and aioli.
Softneck garlic- Softneck garlic cloves tend to be smaller than hard-neck garlic cloves but they have a thicker outer skin layer which allows for a longer shelf life. They are also considerably easier to grow and are a popular variety to grow amongst amateur gardeners. Softneck garlic’s taste is dependent on where it is grown since it can be grown anywhere in the world.
Elephant garlic- While technically a leek and not a garlic, elephant garlic does look like a common variety of garlic on steroids and is treated like a clove of garlic in cooking. Its taste is milder than most kinds of garlic and is usually roasted. It is also easier to peel than other varieties.
Black Garlic- Black garlic is regular garlic that has undergone the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives cooked browned food its distinctive flavour. Black garlic has a smoky subtle taste with a slight tang. It is full of antioxidants and has immune-boosting properties. Black garlic is used to make pasta and pizza sauces and can be used in every other way a soft neck or hard-neck garlic is used.
Scapes- Garlic scapes are the flowering stalk that grows in the middle of garlic bulbs. It often has a tear-drop-shaped white bulb near its end. When scapes are allowed to mature, they turn into flowers and eventually into garlic bulbs ready for planting. Scapes have the faintest flavour of garlic and are overall fresh and vegetal tasting. Its texture is tender yet crisp. Scapes can be sauteed with butter or steamed and can be served with pasta or salad.
Asiatic Hardneck- Asiatic hard neck is a subspecies of the hard-neck variety of garlic. It is a hot and spicy type of garlic with thin difficult-to-remove skin. Depending upon the cultivars, this subspecies of hard-neck garlic can have purple, brown, and pink cloves.
