8) IS GARLIC A VEGETABLE, A SPICE OR A HERB?

Fresh Garlic bulbs with leaves

Without garlic, my stir fried vegetable or homemade chilli paste will taste bland.  



Garlic looks like a bulb and is a member of the lily family.  Since it is similar to onions, shallots and chives, Garlic is also considered a vegetable because it has leaves.

We use garlic as an important ingredient in all of the culinary arts. The taste of garlic has been described as intense , aromatic and uniquely flavorful. Virtually, you can find garlic in every cuisine in the world be it Asian, African, European, Latin American and North American.

Raw garlic has a powerful, pungent odor and is usually cooked before eating it.  As a flavoring ingredient in other dishes, it can also be roasted and eaten as a condiment or spread.

Peeled Garlic Cloves

The garlic grows underground in the form of a bulb.  Long green shoots break out from the bulb.  The bulb itself has an ivory white and papery skin.  The bulb also has sections called cloves.  The cloves are enclosed in a paper thick skin . When peeled, reveals a pale yellowish flesh which is used for cooking. 

Garlic Flower

Garlic is usually added to savoury dishes such as meatballs, stir fried vegetables, soups or sauces.  There is no end to the uses of garlic in recipes.  The green leaves can also be eaten.  it has a garlicky flavor, though less pungent than the cloves themselves. 

Why is garlic not a herb or spice?  The word 'herb' means something green. It can be the leaves or stems of edible plants. The word 'spice' means all roots, bark, seeds and specifically in the dried form.  Yes, the garlic is a vegetable but it is seldom eaten on its own. 

Ultimately garlic belongs in a category that cannot be clearly defined.  However, what we can define is Apple Cider Vinegar.  And that will be my next topic for discussion.

Here is a simple recipe for Garlic Oil.

One Bulb of Garlic (Separated and Peeled)
2 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Five inch long oregano stems with leaves

Directions for Garlic Olive Oil

Make a slit down the middle of each clove of garlic.

Place oil in a non-reactive pan and bring to a simmer. Add garlic. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add oregano and cool to room temperature.

Strain.

Store oil in a glass jar in the refrigerator.  Use the oil within a couple of weeks to avoid botulism and salmonella contamination.



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Until my next post, "Here's to your health!"