Organic California Garlic Powder

Description

Allium sativum, one of the first plants grown specifically for human consumption in the world, is the scientific name for one of the most commonly used spices in America today, which you may know by the name of Garlic. This spice also appears across the world as a staple in many cuisines, alongside its closely related cousins leeks, onions, and chives.

Garlic doesn’t have much essential oil content, only ranging from 0.1% to 0.25%.

The name garlic comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word for spear plant which was “garleac.” In Arabic garlic goes by the name “thum,” Madarin speakers call it “suan tou,” in French it is “ail,” in German it has the fun name of “knoblauch,” in Hindi it is called “lasun,” in Japanese “ninniku” is the name, Portuguese speakers call it “alho,” in Russian you will hear “chesnok,” and in Spanish “ajo” is the name.

History of Garlic

Known as the stinking rose in ancient Rome and Greece, this plant was also called “the noblest onion” by those practicing medicine in medieval times. It is thought to have originated in Central Asia, and as Arab legend has it, garlic sprouted where the Devil left footprints when he fled Eden.

Garlic was important to the ancient Egyptians. It was used as a source of energy by the people who built the pyramids and was also buried within those pyramids with pharaohs. Thousands of years after these people were entombed, archeologists have discovered perfectly preserved cloves of garlic buried with them.

Historically, garlic was also used as a treatment for some parasites and general illnesses across many cultures, even those that had no contact with one another. In Ancient Greece, garlic was rubbed on the skin to provide protection from insects and from toxins or poisons.

Gilroy, California in the United States has an interesting relationship with garlic. Here, the locals have an intense pride for their garlic crops. It’s nearly the level of intensity that you will find for wine in Italy or pork in Spain. Gilroy is often thought of the garlic capital of the world.

Over 250 million pounds of garlic are consumed annually by Americans, but this wasn’t always the case. Until the 1940s, garlic was considered a foreign food and was only present in distinctly “ethnic” food. After the 1940s however, garlic gained a lot of traction in the mainstream American diet.

Vampires hate garlic, so wearing garlic on your person can easily repulse them and keep them away from you. In the novel version of Dracula, garlic is mentioned 21 times. In fact, garlic has long been used as a repellent against supernatural beings in many cultures.

The healing properties of garlic are recorded all throughout history. During WWI and WWII, garlic was used on skin to help quickly heal flesh wounds. Garlic has antibacterial properties and is excellent at cleaning up small cuts and scrapes.

Garlic Cultivation

Garlic is a crop that is relatively easy to grow which produces a large yield. These plants prefer well-drained, fertile soil with lots of sun. Some garlic prefers colder temperatures, so garlic can grow over a range of hardiness zones. It is planed in the fall and sprouts in the spring. Cloves require about 4-6 inches between them to grow.

Our Organic Garlic Powder is from California.

Types of Garlic

There are two main types of garlic, the hardneck and softneck varieties. Their differences lie mainly in their appearance. Hardneck garlic has a scape, a firm center that grows through the bulb. The softneck garlic does not have a scape. Harneck garlic is often smaller, with only 4-12 cloves per bulb, and is more frost tolerant. Softneck garlic has 8-20 cloves per bulb.

Cooking with Garlic Powder

Garlic in any form is a wonderful partner for savory foods. Add it to cheese, vegetables, meat, pretty much anything. Add this to anything for just a boost of garlic flavor. Combine it with a slight amount of olive oil for a lovely coating for fish or roasting vegetables like squash or sweet potatoes.

Garlic chicken is a classic dish that pairs well with a variety of sides, vegetables included. First things first, melt about a tablespoon of butter in a pan and then add 3 to 4 teaspoons of garlic powder. You may have the desire to add some salt to your recipe, which is fine, since garlic salt is such a timeless combination of flavors. Fry some boneless skinless chicken in this butter, as much as you can manage or want, and be sure the whole thing is covered in butter and garlicky flavor. When it is finished frying, set it on some paper towels to absorb the excess liquid and then add a little more garlic powder to taste. Add some green beans and slivered almonds to the side for a flavorful meal.

Your homemade savory soups, stews, and sauces probably need a little something, and that little something is probably garlic.

Some recipes that we enjoy that include Organic Garlic Powder are 3 Bean Layered Crock Pot Chili, Chicken Sofrito Stew, and Simple Sesame Chicken.

Powdered vs Fresh

Powdered garlic is often more convenient for cooking, as it takes only a little effort to take your spice shaker out of the cupboard, versus trying to chop and incorporate fresh garlic. This is one of the only spices that people tend to think is more flavorful when it has been dried since it concentrates the flavor significantly. Garlic powder can be kept for up to a year, whereas fresh garlic will go bad rather quickly.

What Does Organic Garlic Powder Taste Like?

Organic Garlic Powder has a very distinct flavor which can only be described as garlicky.

Substitutions and Conversions

A singe clove of garlic is approximately equal to an 1/8 of a teaspoon of organic garlic powder.

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