When did garlic get so pathetic?

[Kermit power]

Maybe it's just me getting old, but I'm sure garlic these days is puny and pathetic compared to how it used to be.

Usually, half of the cloves aren't even worth the hassle of peeling any more. I'm sure they were once much bigger and juicier.

And whilst we're at it, who told Sainsbury they could stop selling nice smoked garlic?

[Odie]

Kermit power said:

Maybe it's just me getting old, but I'm sure garlic these days is puny and pathetic compared to how it used to be.

Usually, half of the cloves aren't even worth the hassle of peeling any more. I'm sure they were once much bigger and juicier.

And whilst we're at it, who told Sainsbury they could stop selling nice smoked garlic?

Smoked Garlic? whats that then? sounds interesting, could be nice with salmon or something.

[Caulkhead]

Supermarket garlic is definitely tasteless these days, luckily I live half a mile from here:

http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/

The difference in taste is amazing. Might be a bit of a run from you, but a day trip would stock you up for months!

[nevgroom]

Have to agree on that K-P, the bulbs nowadays in supermarkets are pretty feeble. Whilst in Gosport at the w/e I was lucky enough to pick-up some "wet" garlic (good sized bulds too) at a market stall.

It's best looking at a local Farmer's market of farm shop.

[cal72]

Caulkhead said:

http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/

Think i might be doing a bit of ordering from here.
Garlic beer, got to be worth a try.

[Bullett]

cal72 said:

Garlic beer, got to be worth a try.

No, it's horrific. My brother has some and neither of us could drink it with the curry we had and we both love garlic, even the smell made me feel ill. Very very nasty.

Edit - forgot to say, it's beer with garlic in it, it's not been brewed from garlic.

[zac510]

Also the supermarket garlic is often 'red' garlic. Sometimes at a farmer's market I've found big bulbs of white garlic.

[jmorgan]

Caulkhead said:

Supermarket garlic is definitely tasteless these days, luckily I live half a mile from here:

http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/

The difference in taste is amazing. Might be a bit of a run from you, but a day trip would stock you up for months!

Had stuff from there before. Certainly worth it and tghe elphant garlic.... WOW.

Tried the planting selection as well but I failed, need to invest in some boxes to grow it in, the soil is all wrong where I live.

[paulmurr]

Kermit power said:

And whilst we're at it, who told Sainsbury they could stop selling nice smoked garlic?

Our Aldi used to do it, now I can only find it at Dobbies garden centre

[Rude-boy]

paulmurr said:

Kermit power said:

And whilst we're at it, who told Sainsbury they could stop selling nice smoked garlic?

Our Aldi used to do it, now I can only find it at Dobbies garden centre

Christ, we've been having to buy it in industrial quantities from France when we go over. Round these here parts the idea of smoked garlic would be less believable to the natives than that the moon is made of fish.

[wiggy001]

Agreed. Supermarket Garlic, when peeled, is often very white in colour and very tasteless in a meal.

I get ours from a local farm shop - huge bulbs of white garlic containing large, slightly yellow cloves when peeled. Lasts a while too as I don't need to use half as much.

[Mobile Chicane]

I think you're getting old, K-P. (However if it's any consolation, so am I.)

Nowadays we think of garlic as an everyday ingredient, and our taste buds have become accustomed to it..

When I was a child it was something the English ate rarely, if at all: foreign.

[Ozone]

Smoked garlick!!???? I don't beleive it!! Will definately be on the lookout for it.

From the thread title i thought this was a criticism of the 'manager bloke' on here

[LordGrover]

Ozone said:

From the thread title i thought this was a criticism of the 'manager bloke' on here

I too, was disappointed.

[KrazyIvan]

Ozone said:

From the thread title i thought this was a criticism of the 'manager bloke' on here

Same here

Bet his BP jumps a couple of points when he reads the thread title

As for garlick, spare a thought for the people who share your air when you head down the XXX garlick route

[Stu R]

The end of a BBQ is perfect for this. when it's still got enough heat in it before the embers die, shove the coals to one side, pop on some wood chips (I use applewood but oak works brilliantly. Get an old biscuit tin and punch it full of holes, no bigger than say a nail head (I use the pins you hang small pictures with for this). Put a load of chips in there and pop the lid (also hole-filled) on, and pop it on the coals. some straw will get it kicking up a bit of heat and a lot of smoke, and the oak chips will give the sustained smokey flavour.

If you're using something like a Weber One Touch, you can do a whole string at a time (take any plastics etc off first, obv.)

I've yet to try it in the smokey mountain or my own smoker, but a BBQ works spiffingly.

[Kermit power]

Stu R said:

The end of a BBQ is perfect for this. when it's still got enough heat in it before the embers die, shove the coals to one side, pop on some wood chips (I use applewood but oak works brilliantly. Get an old biscuit tin and punch it full of holes, no bigger than say a nail head (I use the pins you hang small pictures with for this). Put a load of chips in there and pop the lid (also hole-filled) on, and pop it on the coals. some straw will get it kicking up a bit of heat and a lot of smoke, and the oak chips will give the sustained smokey flavour.

If you're using something like a Weber One Touch, you can do a whole string at a time (take any plastics etc off first, obv.)

I've yet to try it in the smokey mountain or my own smoker, but a BBQ works spiffingly.

Er...

Where does the garlic go? In the tin? On the tin?

[Stu R]

On the grill! no different to indirect BBQ cooking, just don't do it at high temp for obvious reasons (it'll smell ace if you do though )

I'll put a proper guide with pics etc together if you want?

[indi pearl]

Anyone else got hooked on Chinese single bulb garlic? Great stuff when a whole bulb is used and especially good roasted. Lidl is the place to buy it.

[Shaw Tarse]

Stu R said:

On the grill! no different to indirect BBQ cooking, just don't do it at high temp for obvious reasons (it'll smell ace if you do though )

I'll put a proper guide with pics etc together if you want?

Oh go on then!
I'll probably never actually follow it up, but do enjoy reading this sort of thing