Garlic-My Kitchen Herb of the WEEK!!

Garlic is something I use nearly Everyday, I eat it raw, pickled, cooked, I love to bake a whole Garlic Bulb -Roasted Garlic, in the Oven with just the points barely clipped off then drizzle Olive Oil over it, bake it about 45 mins to an Hour in the oven and eat the whole thing, it's good for you and delicious, who cares about bad breath!!

Garlic (Allium sativa)
Identification: Garlic plants are closely related to and similar to
onions and they have a similar, but stronger odor. The leaves of garlic
plants are neither inflated like onion leaves nor tubular like those of
bunching onions. Instead, they are flat, with a crease down the middle
and are held erect in two opposite ranks. Most varieties stand about 1-2
ft tall at maturity. Garlic plants produce an underground bulb that
usually is divisible into 6-20 segments, called cloves.
Flowers: June - July.
Family: Alliaceae (Onion family)
Habitat: Waste ground, roadsides, railroads, fields, meadows, thickets,
grassy areas. New York to Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri; north to
Indiana. Alien. Native to Eurasia.
Parts Used: Bulb.
History: Its medical use traces back to 5,000 years ago in Asia where it
was used by nomadic tribes to ward off evil spirits and improve health.
The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans praised and used garlic.
Hippocrates recommended its use to combat constipation and as a
diuretic. Aristotle suggested its use for a cure against rabies. It was
believed to give strength to the men who built the pyramids, courage to
the Roman armies, and fighting spirit to the English gamecocks. During
the early 1900s and the outset of World War I, British army surgeons
used garlic as a bactericide.
Constituents: Allicin and adenosine, enzymes (alliinase, myrosinase,
peroxidase), vitamins, glucosilinates. High concentrations of trace
minerals, particularly selenium and germanium. Mucilage, phytosterols,
resin, and sulphur compounds.
Medicinal Properties: Internally - Antibacterial, antifungal,
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antiseptic, antiviral,
hypotensive-vasodilator, cholagogue, antispasmodic, decreases blood
cholesterol, increases HDL, hypoglycemic, expectorant, diaphoretic,
antioxidant, antitumor, antineoplastic, antimutagenic, diuretic,
carminative, emmenagogue.
Topical Uses - Antimicrobial, antifungal, expectorant.
Uses: Peeled cloves have been eaten or made into tea, syrup, or tincture
to treat colds, fevers, coughs, earaches, bronchitis, shortness of
breath, sinus congestion, headaches, stomachaches, high blood pressure,
arteriosclerosis, diarrhea, dysentery, gout, rheumatism, etc.
For external uses, end of garlic clove is cut, then juice is applied to
ringworm, acne (see warning below); folk cancer remedy.
Cough syrup traditionally made by simmering 10 garlic cloves in 1 pint
of milk, adding honey to taste; syrup taken in 1 tablespoon doses as
needed.
In China, garlic is used for digestive difficulties, diarrhea,
dysentery, colds, whooping cough, pinworms, old ulcers, swellings, and
snakebites.
Experimentally, it lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol. Clinical
studies suggest efficacy in gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension,
heart ailments, and arteriosclerosis. According to demographic studies,
garlic is thought responsible for the low incidence of arteriosclerosis
in parts of Italy and Spain where garlic consumption is heavy.
Allicin, the substance responsible for garlic's characteristic odor, is
thought to be responsible for some of the plant's pharmacological
qualities. In experiments with mice, garlic extracts had an inhibitory
effect on cancer cells. The presence of trace elements germanium and
selenium may have normalized the utilization of oxygen and improved the
immunity of the organism against the cancerous cells.
Warning: The essential oil extracted from the bulbs is extremely
concentrated and can be irritating. Gastro-intestinal irritation may
occur in high doses. Enteric coated capsules may reduce irritation.
Garlic has anti-platlet, fibrinolytic and blood thinning capabilities
and will interact with anticoagulant drugs. Physicians should be
notified of use prior to entering surgical situations.
Preparation and Dosages: BULB. Fresh Juice, 1/4 to 1 teaspoon. Fresh
Tincture [1:2] 15-40 drops.
We use a toothbrush to clean the root area of all the dirt, then work carefully to get the very first layer of 'skin' off the garlic head without breaking the skin between the cloves.  Then it is ready

How to take care of garlic--for one thing, never put garlic in the refrigerator, this makes the garlic think it is time to start growing!  Then it will start sprouting.  We keep our garlic in a room which never gets below 45 in the winter time.  We also keep potatoes, onions and squash in this room too.  Never leave garlic where the sun can get to it, as it sunburns quite easily.  We keep garlic all winter long in there.

Around June it starts sprouting, the very first sprout, I start drying garlic.  I have a garlic slicer which looks like a miniature version of a cabbage slicer.  I put the drying screen over the bottom of each tray to keep the garlic from falling through once it starts drying.  I dry it at 100 degrees and the bottom tray usually is ready to take out in 24 hours.  From then on, I am working on slicing and drying garlic every day.  One I have a 2 quart bowl full of dried slices, then I start chipping it up fairly fine in the blender.  I have one blender which is used ONLY for garlic.  It smells like garlic all the time.  When I dump the small flakes out, in the bottom of the blender is garlic powder which goes into another container.  I have 2 oz and 1 oz. jars I fill.

Garlic is an easy keeper. Just remember, not in the frig or sunshine, keep away from high heat (it will dry it out), I have had braids hanging on the wall near the sink and it didn't seem to bother the garlic at all.  I used it all up with in 4 months however.

If you can, buy garlic from a Farmer's market or from a produce farmer so you know for sure it has never been refrigerated.
Did you know you can get garlic to easily last for months?  Iwasn't sure how until I stumbled onto this little trick:  put them in a regular paper bag with holes punched into them and paper clip them shut.  It gives them the dark dry environment they need to stay fresh, without limiting their air flow.
Fold your paper bag in half length wise and punch holes in the bag {just makes the hole punching faster and more uniform}.  You don’t want to whole punch the bottom of the bag though, so stay away from the bottom three inches or so.  Open the bag back up and pop the garlic into the bag. Fold the top of the bag over and paper clip or tape it.  You can label the bags if you need to and reuse them over and over.
How to Store Garlic
I am totally going to start doing this–even if you don’t have a garden, you can use this method to stock up when prices are low.

Now about storing it, here are some helpful tips I found Be sure to check out the website in the photos too.

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Did you know you can get garlic to easily last for months?  Iwasn't sure how until I stumbled onto this little trick:  put them in a regular paper bag with holes punched into them and paper clip them shut.  It gives them the dark dry environment they need to stay fresh, without limiting their air flow.

Here’s what you need to get started:

• Hole Punch
• Paper Bags
• Marker to Label the Bag
• Paper Clips or Tape

Fold your paper bag in half length wise and punch holes in the bag {just makes the hole punching faster and more uniform}.  You don’t want to whole punch the bottom of the bag though, so stay away from the bottom three inches or so.  Open the bag back up and pop the garlic into the bag. Fold the top of the bag over and paper clip or tape it.  You can label the bags if you need to and reuse them over and over.

I am totally going to start doing this–even if you don’t have a garden, you can use this method to stock up when prices are low.
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Keep Garlic Elixir on your First Aid shelf, to ease sore throats and bolster your immune systems.
Or sometimes, just take a dropper full because it tastes so good!!

To make your own Garlic Elixir, follow these easy steps:

1. Break apart the individual cloves (leaving the skins on is fine) and roughly chop the garlic with a knife or chop them up minimally in a food processor.
2. Fill whatever size jar you want to use two-thirds full of the chopped garlic.
3. Mix together your vinegar and honey at a 1:3 ratio of honey to vinegar (we use organic, raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey). If your honey is too thick to mix, warm it in a saucepan over low heat until it becomes liquidy thin.
4. Pour the honey-vinegar mixture over the garlic until the jar is full. Use a plastic lid or cover the mouth of the jar with wax paper before securing the lid (the vinegar tends to rust metal lids).
5. Tend your brew every couple of days for the first week, then once a week after that. Poke it with a spoon to release air bubbles, then top it off with the vinegar.
6. After 6 weeks, strain out the garlic and enjoy – just in time to prepare your immune system for the shift to autumn!