Homemade Garlic Powder

Oh my goodness, I love garlic, its pungent smell is my happy home dinner feeling (that’s a thing I swear). A little extra virgin olive oil heating in a pan with minced garlic and a splash of white wine, most of my favorite meals start this way. I am not alone in my garlic loving way. Garlic has been highly valued throughout the ages as a culinary spice, garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.

 

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A Brief History of Garlic

 

Garlic is a hardy perennial belonging to the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae); other members of this family include chives, onions, shallots and leeks, all distinguished by their pungent aroma and flavor. Garlic grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste.  However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic has been for its healthful and medicinal properties such as an infection fighter, against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It has been referred to as ‘Russian penicillin’ to denote its antibacterial properties and some skin conditions such as warts and insect bites may respond to garlic oil or crushed raw garlic. It is also an excellent source of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and a very good source of manganese, selenium, and vitamin C.

The Lament of a Chronic Over Planter

 

Last fall in a haze of garlic love, I thought it would be an amazing idea to plant half of my raised vegetable beds with garlic, I am not sure where I was going to grow the other 20 varieties of vegetables that I wanted to plant in the spring (I am seriously a chronic over planter). Fast forward to summer… I am harvesting over 60lbs of garlic, big amazing bulbs, I was convinced that I was going to use it all. Stored in a cool dark place with moderate humidity, garlic can last for 6 months or more before it starts to shrivel or sprout. Fast forward again… 7  months later my garlic is starting to sprout and get a little less firm and I still have 25 lbs left. I don’t want to waste my garlic, looking back I probably shouldn’t have been such a garlic hoarder and I should have passed it out to everyone I know. Needless to say, the next few blogs I write are going to be how to use up mass quantities of garlic, by making garlic salt, herbed garlic salt, garlic powder, and minced garlic, just to name a few. Let’s start with garlic powder since it is the most straightforward and simple recipe.