Happy October!
Keep the vampires away ALL month long with a good dose of garlic. It's fully cured and you will see it all month.
Have you noticed the difference in taste between our garlic, harvested in July, and garlic from the grocery store?
I sure do!
And I'll tell you the safety factor of eating local, organic garlic, based on the healthy soil it's raised in, is reason enough for me to steer clear of the grocery store stuff - it comes from a country far, far away not known for clean soil or labor regulations). I store enough to keep me until late spring/early summer. Storing it in a cool, dry place is important.
We have been buying Certified Organic seed garlic from Fraser Garlic Farm in Western New York for the past 10 years. Ed Fraser has a quality product and a great reputation. It's the best we can buy.
The Best Way to Store Garlic
The first thing you need to remember about storing garlic is that it keeps best when kept together. Resist the temptation to break the cloves off the bulb until you're ready to use them, and leave them together, covered in their paper covering.
They'll stay fresh longer this way—we've seen them keep well up to six months! And if you get some with the stems still attached (you will this week) try this tip from Ed Fraser: He ties it up in a bundle, hangs it in his kitchen, and breaks off cloves as needed.
Where to Store Garlic
Don't fret too much about what kind of container you keep the garlic in. A terra-cotta or ceramic container (I have a homemade one from pottery class!)specifically designed for garlic storage is great, but so is a paper or mesh bag, a wire basket, or even just a simple bowl.
The goal is to encourage the circulation of dry air, which is why a plastic bag is a no-no since it seals in moisture.
Other Ways To Store Garlic
I'm a big fan of mincing my garlic in the mini food processor, putting it in a small lidded jar, covering it with olive oil (or oil of your choice) and putting it in the fridge. See the video on FB Farm-ily!
You can freeze garlic whole, in a freezer bag, or blanch the peeled cloves and freeze.
I don't prefer to freeze my garlic, but as a safety precaution to have my garlic all year, I do freeze some!
