HERB OF THE MONTH

Suffering from seasonal colds?
Or are the ones around you
falling like meteors in the apocalypse
to the dreaded flu?

Chew on Garlic!

Here is why.

Garlic has been in use as a medicinal for thousands of years. Around 4000 known to be exact. Pliny the elder, Hippocrates, the Talmud, the Bible and Galen, to name a short few, all mentioned garlic for use in combating parasites. Archaeologists have discovered sculptures and paintings of garlic in ancient Egyptian tombs dating as far back as 3200 B.C. The famous young Pharaoh Tutankhamen himself was buried with a head of garlic. In Palestinian tradition, a man who wears garlic in his button hole is guaranteed a most joyous wedding night. Early 18th century French gravediggers drank a concoction of crushed garlic steeped in wine, that they believed warded off the plague. The 12th century German mystic Hildegarde von Bingen prescribed garlic simmered in water for 20 minutes as a treatment of bronchial conditions such as asthma. And in World Ward I and II, on account of the scarcity of penicillin and sulfa drugs, a garlic solution was sprayed on wounds to prevent the on set infection and gangrene.

The list goes on and on and despite any evidence that garlic can guarantee a good honeymoon whoopeeeeee, one thing is for sure: GARLIC IS GOOD! Plus recent and not so recent scientific evidence is backing that up!

In 1858, Louis Pasteur studied the effects of garlic on bacteria and found that just one millimeter of raw garlic juice is as effective as 60 milligrams of penicillin! More recent evidence backs that up. With the advance of science and studies into nutritional science through the lens of chemistry, the Allicin in raw, fresh garlic has been shown to kill 23 strains of bacteria. These include salmonella and staphylococcus.

The vitamins A, B and C contained in Garlic have been shown to stimulate the body in the fight against carcinogens and the expelling of toxins. Some evidence suggests that garlic may even
be a useful in the fight against cancer, especially of the stomach. The sulfurous compounds of Garlic also stimulate and detoxify the liver, help in opening up the circulation of blood, stimulation of the nervous system and regulation of blood sugar and metabolism.

Now that we know a little history and science behind the use of garlic, let's talk about the actual using of garlic. I know not everyone is wanting to subject themselves to the consumption of raw Garlic. And if you don't want to, you don't have to! As I have stated before and will confidently state again, true medicine lies in it's capacity to fit into an entire way of being. And what is more essential to life than food?  Garlic is a prime candidate for use in our everyday consumption and is in fact already a large part of the diet.With garlic, medicine can found in tradition and you might not even think of it as medicine. Those garlic mashed potatoes at supper may be saving your life and that old spaghetti sauce recipe your real Italian grand-mama passed down, you know, the one that causes dad to have horrendous breath, helps you digest all those carbohydrates found in pasta, plus makes the whole dish taste GREAT. Medicine is even in the Middle Eastern Restaurant down the street, the Indian Curry sauce you bought at the Co-op and  that delicious Thai soup your girlfriend makes. The point is, all  of them are more than likely to contain at least some garlic and all of them are EASY to eat, making garlic a 'Super Flexible Power Food".

Here is short list of medicinal properties of Garlic from earthclinic.com

* Garlic is a gastric stimulant & helps with digestion.
* It acts as an anti flatulent, carminative and diaphoretic.
* It stimulates the kidneys and is diuretic in nature.
* It is a tonic, giving strength & vitality
* It is an expectorant having a special effect on the bronchial and pulmonary secretions.
* It is beneficial for eyes & brain.
* It helps to heal fractured bones
* It is a great antiseptic.
* It has allicin, which has the property to destroy germs which are not killed by penicillin. As      such, it is a very powerful germicidal.
* It rehabilitates sexual malfunctions.
* It improves functional activity of heavy smokers.
* Half a raw garlic clove a day can increase body activity to dissolve blood clots, thereby preventing heart attacks and strokes.
* A couple of raw garlic cloves daily can bring blood cholesterol levels down in heart patients.


Now lets talk about the beautiful basic biology of garlic. I mean gorgeous! Garlic is a perennial with origins in central Asia, but presently cultivated all around the world, growing best in the northern hemisphere. The stalks are round, smooth and hollow. There are 500 species of garlic. The A. sativum branch grows to about 2 feet while the A. scorodopasm to about 1 to 5 feet tall. The part we all know is the root which is normally composed of anywhere from 4-20 bulbs. The flowers are small and grouped in either loose or compact clusters that are first surround by a teardrop leaf that later falls away. As the flowers are usually sterile, seeds are not normally produced. Although, small bulbs may form between the flowers. The leaves are long, flat and linear, growing from tubular sheaths at the stem's base.

Growing garlic is pretty easy to grow, especially if you have success with growing onions, for the needed soil composition is the same--a friable (crumbly) loamy soil that is fertile and high in organic matter. Remember to keep the soil evenly moist as dry soil can cause irregularly shaped bulbs. Clayey soils will also misshape bulbs. So, if your soil is to heavy, cut it with well rotted manure and compost every year.


Keep the adage, "Excessive luxury kills", in mind when fertilizing your soil. Just like if you were to eat too much garlic causing your stomach to upset and keeping your friends, family and lover(s) a bay , the soil if over-nourished can be like wise upset as well making harvest and health of plants diminish noticeably.

The best time to plant garlic is in mid to late fall, according to your local seasonal patterns. a good rule to follow is about 4-6 weeks before the first predicted frost. This gives the cloves plenty of time to establish strong root systems in preparation for winter. If you live in a warmer climate, especially one in the southern hemisphere, you may have a difficult time with garlic as it is more suitable to a northern hemisphere climate. (if you are from a warmer climate and have tips, please let me know!) When planting garlic do not separate the cloves from the bulbs until right before you are to plant. Before you begin, make sure your soil is that friable loam we talked about before. When ready make sure you have a bucket of well rotted compost (basically "new" soil)  and a bucket of your cloves. Now take your hand and use it like a blade to "cut" a trench in the soil. Make the incision about three inches deep going across your raised bed. Make as many of these trenches, each about a eagle spread hand width (4-6) inches apart. Now you are ready to plant the cloves. Space each clove about 6 inches apart and gently press each clove, scar side down (the scar side is where the clove was attached to the root of the bulb). When finished with the trench take a large handful of your compost from the bucket and fill in. Repeat this until all is filled and finished.

After the ground freezes in early winter, mulch your garlic bed(s) with a three our inch layer of straw or shredded leaves. This insulate the garlic over the harder parts of the winter season, along with any following snow, ensuring a more than likely success story.

when spring hops around there is very little work to be done. You should check to see if the garlic sprouts have enough room to "breath" under the mulch. If the stems are moving in spirals then you can simply remove some of the mulch from around the plant(s). This really shouldn't be a problem if you used shredded leave or well separate straw. Do not under any circumstances remove all mulch. It plays a vital role in providing the newly borne garlic nutrients essential for ensuring the proper and wanted growth.



Harvesting garlic is a pure joy. I have not harvested large amounts of garlic myself, but while on my internship at a garden in Northern New Mexico, I did get to take part in and witness the process of curing garlic. Here is how.

After harvesting your garlic, clear off any large clods soil. Leave the entire stem, along with the leaves intact. Next you should prepare an area to hang your garlic. Make sure it is a relatively shady, dry area where it is ensured not to get wet for the next 2-3weeks. I recall an ex-garlic farmer telling us that he always hung his garlic on the west side of the fence as the east sun is too hot. I don't know. Sounded like it worked for him. Or so he said. What I do know is you must keep it dry. it is best cured outdoors, but if you do not have the proper space the rafter of a shed work fine. The basics to remember are shade and dry with plenty of air circulation. You can figure out what that means for you from there. As I mentioned before it will take about 2-3 weeks to cure. I would recommend not harvesting all of your garlic at once. This way you can enjoy the unbeatable flavour that fresh from the garden garlic has to offer.


So, now that we have covered the basics of garlic in history, garlic in medicine, garlic biology and garlic growth and processing, I will end by providing a few great garlic recipes. Remember, one of the greatest powers of garlic lies in its "flexibility" to be incorporated casually into the diet. Food and medicine should and do not always have a line drawn between them. Garlic is a mascot of this fact. Bon apetite!


 Garlic Mashed Potatoes

- As many potatoes desired
- As much peeled garlic as you can safely handle
- chives in proportion to prior two
-water or milk in proportion
- Olive oil (around 2-3 table spoons)
-salt to taste
-pepper to taste


Boil or steam your potatoes until vulnerably soft.
You may skin them if you like. I usually use red so I say keep skins on.

When the potatoes are done.
Mash them immediately and vigorously with a masher.

When the mashing is done and you have worked up a good sweat.
Add the desired amount of water or milk, usually the rule here is not too thick
and not too thin, the beauty in this dish is that you decide! If you want soup have it--
if you want glue have it!
Set burner on low and cover.

while the mash is heating. Quickly chop the garlic and chives in desired size.
when the chopping is finished place a medium iron skillet on a burner turner to medium-high.
Wait for the skillet to warm up. you can check the mash as to make sure it doesn't burn.
When a few touching moments have passed, add about two table spoons of olive oil, don't worry about being exact here, just feel and pour. When the oil has achieved needed temperature (usually you can tell by the consistency, it will thin out when subject to the heat) throw in the garlic and give a few shuffles with a spatula. Let it fry a few moments then throw in the chopped chives. Let the garlic brown and chives soften before turning of the burner and adding to the mash. When added to the mash stir the chives and garlic lovingly. Cook this concoction of simple delicious until thoroughly heated. You may add in the pepper and salt at any time, before or after finished. When the mash is decidedly done, you may add 2-3 tablespoons, depending on amount of mash, of olive oil.




Spicy Lemon Pepper, Garlic, Chive and Onion Corn with Garlic and Chives Brown Rice

-1 Large Onion
(red is best)

-10 cloves garlic

- 1 cup fresh chives

-Lemon Pepper to taste

-Red Pepper Flakes to taste

-About 2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked and de-cobbed corn.

-two cups rice


Always cook the rice first. This entails knowing the standard 2-1 ratio of water to rice; 2 cups water for every 1 cup rice. I usually add a titch more just in case. Cook initially on high heat until water comes to a boil then turn to low--keep pot covered for entire process. Make sure the pot is a proper size for the rice expands and trust me, you do not want any overflow!  cook until all water is absorbed by rice and evaporated. This usually means around 50-60 minutes. Using a pyrex pot makes sure you avoid removing the lid to take a peek. Letting out any pressure and steam can affect the consistency of "doneness". When making the following parts factor in the 10 minute sitting period (covered with burner off) for the rice.

soaking the rice overnight greatly enhances the likely hood of "getting it right".
 
In the last 30 minutes of the rice cooking. Place de-cobbed and cooked corn in a steamer, cover and turned to high until water boils then turn down to medium-low. You only need about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of water in the pot.

While the rice is cooking and the corn in steaming chop your onion, 6 cloves garlic and half the chives.
About 10-15 minutes before rice is done place a large iron skillet on medium-high heat. When properly warmed add about two tablespoons of oil and wait until hot enough to add the onion. Fry the onion to about 1/2  way to browned before adding the garlic. Then add the desired amounts of red pepper flakes and lemon pepper. When onion is browned add the steam heated corn to the mix. Stir in and make any spicing adjustments as desired. Then cover and leave burner on low or even off if called for until the rice is surely done. While waiting on the rice quickly saute the remaining 4 cloves and chives. When the waiting period on the rice has expired, add the thoroughly sauteed garlic and chives to the rice and serve.

this meal could go well with a salad or soup, or both.


This next and final recipe is from "Mexico One Plate at a Time" with Rick Bayless. (Founder of Frontera Foods)


Mojo de Ajo--
or literally translated as, "Bath of Garlic" .

Ingredients

4 large heads garlic
    OR 10 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) peeled garlic cloves
2 cups fruity olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

---

Directions

Heat the oven to 325˚.

Break the heads of garlic apart, then mash each clove (a fist against the side of a knife is what I do) to release the clove from its papery skin; if using already-peeled garlic, scoop the cloves into a heavy recloseable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to mash them slightly.

Stir together the garlic, oil and salt in an 8x8-inch pan (make sure all the garlic is submerged), slide it into the oven and bake until the garlic is soft and lightly brown, about 45 to 55 minutes.  Add the lime juice and return to the oven for 20 minutes for the garlic to absorb the lime and turn golden brown.

Using an old-fashioned potato masher or large fork, mash the garlic into a coarse puree.  Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth storage container and refrigerate it until you’re ready to enjoy some deliciousness.  This mojo will keep for up to three months in the refrigerator as long as there's enough oil to keep the garlic covered.