How does garlic get its flavor?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

April 21, 2005

Sponsored By: Gurney's Seed and Nursery—>Click here.

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks Pioneer, California White, Walla Walla, Elephant Garlic & more—>Click here.

Garlic is a well-known aromatic plant that probably originated in Central Asia. Since taken into cultivation at least 7500 years ago, humans have selected hundreds of varieties based on personal preferences. Cultivated garlic is botanically classified into two major lineages or varieties—the soft-necked (Allium sativum var. sativum) and the hard-necked or rocambole (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon).

There are other 'garlics', but most are not in commercial cultivation or they are considered ornamentals. The major exception is the mild-flavored elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) which is actually a leek.

California White Garlic Rich, Full-bodied Flavor

Gurney's Choice Store-bought garlic just can't compare to this full-flavored favorite! Large, plump bulbs have papery skins and plenty of creamy white cloves bursting with flavor. California White Garlic is easy to grow, very productive. Cultivate and store as you would onions. Approximately 10-20 cloves per bulb. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Garlic Bulbs] [Vegetable Plants]

The garlic bulb is composed of a shortened stem and highly modified leaves or cloves. The cloves serve as storage organs for starches and other photosynthates. The papery covering over the bulb were the hollow leaves that rose above the ground when the plant was actively growing.

Garlic gets its characteristic aroma and flavor from a chemical reaction. The reaction does not take place until the garlic is cut or crushed. In the cytoplasm of the cell is alkyl-L-cysteine-sulfoxide (ACSO). Each variety of garlic has a chemical variety of ACSO. In the vacuole of the cell is an enzyme, alliinase. When the cells are broken, alliinase acts on the substrate, ACSO, and changes it to a thiosulfinic allyl ester or allicin. Crushed garlic has more flavor than chopped since more ACSO and alliinase are mixed. Once crushed, the garlic should be used soon because in a few hours the chemical reaction creates an oily mixture of disulfides and trisulfides.

With a few varietal exceptions, soft-necked garlic has lost the ability to flower and never forms a scape. Soft-necked is the garlic sold in grocery stores. Rocambole forms a scape and flowers. The scape usually twists as it grows giving the plant the name serpent garlic. Rocambole is gourmet garlic.

Each garlic clove can grow into a bulb. The cloves are what are sold as 'garlic seeds', because garlic is an apomict and cannot reproduce sexually. Instead of seeds, garlic flowers give rise to bulbils, immature plants. A bulbil will grow into a bulb in about two years; a clove will become a bulb in a year. All the different flavored varieties of garlic happen because of minor mutations either in a clove or a bulbil.

Boundary Garlic Farm in British Columbia has a photograph of a field of garlic and information about growing garlic. To view the photograph and learn more about garlic, click on the link:

http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm

(Compiled from: Hortus Third, Staff L.H. Bailey Hortorium, NY State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Macmillan, 1976; "Garlic Factsheet", Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry, British Columbia, 2004; "Advances in New Alliums", Michael J. Harvey, Perspectives on New Crops and New Uses, J. Janick, ed., ASHS Press, 1999 published on the internet by Purdue University, and Medical Botany, Plants affecting Man's Health, W.H. Lewis and M.P.F. Elvin-Lewis, John Wiley and Sons, 1977)

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Pioneer Softneck Garlic

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Big, Delicious Cloves. – Early garlic is famous for both size and flavor. Snowy white cloves, wrapped in papery skins--best overall choice for braiding. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

[Garlic Bulbs] [Vegetable Plants]

California White Garlic

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Rich, Full-bodied Flavor Gurney's Choice Store-bought garlic just can't compare to this full-flavored favorite! Large, plump bulbs have papery skins and plenty of creamy white cloves bursting with flavor. California White Garlic is easy to grow, very productive. Cultivate and store as you would onions. Approximately 10-20 cloves per bulb. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Garlic Bulbs] [Vegetable Plants]

Walla Walla Early Garlic

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Cold-Hardy Italian Purple Softneck braiding type is excellent for Northern growers. Walla Walla Early Garlic is a reliable producer of slightly spicy pink-to-red cloves. Approximately 12-20 cloves per bulb. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

[Garlic Bulbs] [Vegetable Plants]

Elephant Garlic

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Big but Biteless Impressive size for Elephant Garlic! Plump 1-1/2-inch cloves with a delicious hint of mild garlic flavor. No need to peel. Each bulb averages 10 cloves. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

[Garlic Bulbs] [Vegetable Plants]