In Pursuit of Garlic : An Intimate Look at the Divinely Odorous Bulb

In Pursuit of Garlic: An Intimate Look at the Divinely Odorous Bulb tells Liz Primeau 's story of her love affair with garlic—which was ignited when her handsome teenaged boyfriend took her to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti served with heavenly garlic-laced meatballs, a sublime escape from the bland English dinners she was used to at home—and leads us on a tour of garlic's role in history, art, medicine, and science. Primeau invites us into her kitchen, where she begins every dinner hour with the pleasing ritual of chopping garlic, and shares the secret of the knife smack for removing garlic's tight jacket, as well as her favorite garlic-centered recipes. Primeau also discusses the many varieties of garlic and gives invaluable tips for growing your own. She visits garlic fairs, where she tries to track down France's elusive L'ail Rose, and she explores the issue of cheap Chinese garlic, which has invaded the North American market to the exclusion... CKB040000,HIS037000,SOC055000 The author of Front Yard Gardens celebrates the joy of garlic—from its culinary history to advice on growing and cooking with the indispensable ingredient. Liz Primeau’s love affair with garlic began when her teenaged boyfriend took her to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti served with heavenly garlic-laced meatballs, a sublime escape from the bland English dinners she was used to at home. Here, Primeau celebrates that culinary love, discussing garlic's central place in her kitchen and garden, as well as its role in history, art, medicine, and science. Primeau shares the pleasing ritual of beginning each dinner she cooks by chopping garlic, the secret of removing garlic's tight jacket with a confident smack of a knife, as well as her favorite garlic-centered recipes. Primeau also discusses the many varieties of garlic and gives invaluable tips for growing your own. She visits garlic fairs, where she tries to track down France's elusive L'ail Rose, and she explores the issue of cheap Chinese garlic, which has invaded the North American market to the exclusion of local varieties. "Packed with fascinating facts, practical advice on growing, curing and storage, recipes and personal stories.” —Winnipeg Free Press Garlic has been used throughout history as a nourishing food and a magical medicine, healing everything from toothaches to dysentery. For much of this past century many dismissed its medicinal qualities as folk remedies more efficiently replaced by modern drugs — but today garlic is undergoing a renaissance. Not only are more people cooking with garlic, they are also growing it in their backyards. And scientists are studying garlic's antibiotic, antifungal, and antiparasitic qualities, as well as its potential for cancer treatment. __In Pursuit of Garlic__ tells Liz Primeau's story of her love affair with the divinely odorous bulb and leads us on a tour of garlic's role in history, art, medicine, and science. Primeau shares her favorite garlic-centered recipes, visits garlic fairs, discusses the many varieties of garlic — from Russian Red to German Brown to Kettle River Giant — and gives invaluable tips for growing your own. Presents Information About The Plant, Covering Its History, Lore, And Medicinal Uses; Instructions On How To Best Plant, Harvest, And Cook It; And Several Recipes For Soups And Stews. A Divine Stink: Garlic In History, Lore, Medicine, And More -- A Pungent Love Affair: The Art Of Eating Garlic -- Down To Earth With Garlic: How To Plant, Feed, Harvest, And Store Your Amazing Bulbs -- Celebrating Garlic: Two Festivals And A Universal Passion For Garlic -- In The Kitchen With Garlic: How To Chop, Preserve, And Cook With Garlic -- A Garlic Primer: What To Plant And How It Tastes. Liz Primeau. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 186-190), Filmography (p. 190), And Indexes.