Home
>
Foodlovers Food Talk
>
Topic
Foodlovers Foodtalk Forum
NZ Garlic
Posted by Vanessa45
Re: NZ Garlic February 08, 2017 10:00AM |
Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 319 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 08, 2017 11:07AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 2,411 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 08, 2017 08:04PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 5,388 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 08, 2017 08:17PM |
Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 157 |
Vanessa, it is the variety/type of garlic that you are buying that produces the small cloves although the weather will have been a contributing factor - it's been a mild winter and down south we've had higher than normal rainfall which has led to major problems with rust and fungal diseases rotting the bulbs. Although my garlic harvest was poor, i grow many different types and even the tiniest hardneck bulbs still produce decent sized cloves - a tiny 2cm hardneck bulb may only have 3 cloves. If you have the time or patience, pm me and i'll give you my address to send a stamped addressed envelope and happy to share some bulbils (topsets) that will take at least 3 seasons before they produce normal sized bulbs. Attached photo of garlic bulbs are sitting on a 2cm square graph - the small bulbs on the bottom row were grown from bulbils.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2017 08:14AM by meganp.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2017 08:14AM by meganp.
Re: NZ Garlic February 08, 2017 09:55PM |
Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 1,979 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 09, 2017 10:25PM |
Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 804 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 10, 2017 09:45PM |
Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 157 |
Hello Vanessa, some of the garlic that I've seen in the supermarket is not fully cured and is being sold as green garlic (for garlic to store well, it needs to be hung in a well ventilated spot until the stem and outer skins are totally dry and brittle). Green garlic is fine to use but should be kept in one of those pottery jars with air holes or just on the bench in a bowl. So long as the mould is only on the outer wrappers, nothing to worry about just use it up quickly. However, if the mould is under the outer wrappers and between the cloves, the bulb is actually diseased and I would peel the entire bulb, burn or dispose of the bulb and clove skins and if the cloves are undamaged, no lesions or spots, crush and freeze in mini silicon muffin tins to be used as and when required. Not necessary to store well cured garlic in the fridge - mine is kept in the garage and only take out a couple of bulbs at a time and store in a pottery jar in the kitchen. Chris and Jenna, and any one else who might be interested, if you want to try growing some bulbils, just pm me, plenty to share.
Re: NZ Garlic February 11, 2017 06:46AM |
Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 804 |
That all makes total sense - thanks for your knowledgable advice. Its annoying about the green garlic, i wonder why they dont cure it fully?
So what about the Chinese garlic? Whats the deal with that? Its super cheap and for a few dollars I get more than I need.
I have heard stories how its grown in unsanitary conditions BUT its probably just a rumour. I much prefer buying NZ produce as we all do but been disappointed by the garlic.
Vanessa
So what about the Chinese garlic? Whats the deal with that? Its super cheap and for a few dollars I get more than I need.
I have heard stories how its grown in unsanitary conditions BUT its probably just a rumour. I much prefer buying NZ produce as we all do but been disappointed by the garlic.
Vanessa
Re: NZ Garlic February 11, 2017 06:52AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 11, 2017 01:19PM |
Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 319 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 11, 2017 09:44PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 5,388 |
TPANDAV Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> [www.dietoflife.com]
> orted-from-china-filled-with-bleach-and-chemicals-
> here-is-how-to-spot-it/
With regards this article on Chinese Garlic, these have always been my thoughts as well. However we were with a group of friends recently, and one of the group made some interesting observations regarding the bleaching etc. If that was the case, with the strict rules imposed by MPI for imported foods into NZ - would MPI actually allow this, and surely they would make thorough checks to see what was being imported into NZ met food safety guidelines? Especially with the amount of Chinese Garlic we see on our shelves, whether it be supermarket or at the local greengrocers? I actually thought that was a very interesting point!
Also if we are travelling... I have been to China and heading off to Taiwan shortly.. should I refuse any food with garlic in it, because of this? Sorry I intend to eat up a storm at the night markets.
I buy NZ Garlic and when it is out of season then buy the USA Garlic... and actually which leads me to another point... if as per this article, US Garlic production is down, how come they have enough to export to NZ, and I presume other countries as well?... Although I guess if there isn't a call for supply in their own markets, anything else goes offshore? And with all their GE modified products, why aren't we just as wary of US produce?
-------------------------------------------------------
> [www.dietoflife.com]
> orted-from-china-filled-with-bleach-and-chemicals-
> here-is-how-to-spot-it/
With regards this article on Chinese Garlic, these have always been my thoughts as well. However we were with a group of friends recently, and one of the group made some interesting observations regarding the bleaching etc. If that was the case, with the strict rules imposed by MPI for imported foods into NZ - would MPI actually allow this, and surely they would make thorough checks to see what was being imported into NZ met food safety guidelines? Especially with the amount of Chinese Garlic we see on our shelves, whether it be supermarket or at the local greengrocers? I actually thought that was a very interesting point!
Also if we are travelling... I have been to China and heading off to Taiwan shortly.. should I refuse any food with garlic in it, because of this? Sorry I intend to eat up a storm at the night markets.
I buy NZ Garlic and when it is out of season then buy the USA Garlic... and actually which leads me to another point... if as per this article, US Garlic production is down, how come they have enough to export to NZ, and I presume other countries as well?... Although I guess if there isn't a call for supply in their own markets, anything else goes offshore? And with all their GE modified products, why aren't we just as wary of US produce?
Re: NZ Garlic February 11, 2017 11:56PM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 799 |
Re: NZ Garlic February 12, 2017 08:14PM |
Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 157 |
networkn -
Cured garlic has simply been hung and dried until all the moisture has gone from the stem and roots and the outer skins are brittle. Curing doesn't dry out the cloves and if anything, the flavour improves with some types of garlic, it loses the vegetative edge. Try garlic from a farmers market versus a supermarket and you will notice the difference in depth of flavour. I have often seen so called NZ garlic being sold in supermarkets well out of season with the tell tale trimmed roots that were probably imported from the US; south america or spain; lovely large bulbs with colourful bulb skins but definitely not NZ grown. If it was indeed NZ garlic, it would have been stored in the chiller, hence the dried out flavourless cloves that you may have experienced.
Yes, some chinese garlic may well be bleached but the majority of the garlic that is imported from China are softneck varieties in particular silverskins that are long storing and usually have white bulb wrappers, no need for further belaching. Even purple skinned garlic fades and as the outer wrappers slough off the inner skins are often white - here's one of the white wrapper bulbs beside some purple ones.
Cured garlic has simply been hung and dried until all the moisture has gone from the stem and roots and the outer skins are brittle. Curing doesn't dry out the cloves and if anything, the flavour improves with some types of garlic, it loses the vegetative edge. Try garlic from a farmers market versus a supermarket and you will notice the difference in depth of flavour. I have often seen so called NZ garlic being sold in supermarkets well out of season with the tell tale trimmed roots that were probably imported from the US; south america or spain; lovely large bulbs with colourful bulb skins but definitely not NZ grown. If it was indeed NZ garlic, it would have been stored in the chiller, hence the dried out flavourless cloves that you may have experienced.
Yes, some chinese garlic may well be bleached but the majority of the garlic that is imported from China are softneck varieties in particular silverskins that are long storing and usually have white bulb wrappers, no need for further belaching. Even purple skinned garlic fades and as the outer wrappers slough off the inner skins are often white - here's one of the white wrapper bulbs beside some purple ones.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.