Holy garlic, Batman!

I finally cracked open a jar of Dilly Beans from last year. Per the label, lovingly put up on September 4th, 2010. And, oh, my, GOSH...... they are absolutely delicious, but I am breathing garlic (and red pepper) fire now. I absolutely adore garlic and thought lots would be great, but, yipes!

So, if you plan on trying to can some dilly beans this year, be cautious. You will be in heaven, but doing the dragon-breath thing if you use too much garlic.

i love garlic...so do you have a link to the post of the recipe or can you share?
Maybe this year i'll have a bumper crop and can use it.

Megan, the overwhelming garlic flavor you mention may be due to the variety of garlic you are raising. do you know what type of garlic you raised? There are hundreds (if not thousands) of varieties world wide, some more assertive than others. The soft neck types (like those you see braided) tend to be milder; the so called "hard-necked" varieties often have more pronounced flavor. For a fun view of the many different varieties more readily available, take a look at these websites: Fillaree Farm (Washington State): http://www.filareefarm.com/ , scroll down (left side) to view the varieties offered (I've ordered from them, good people); other garlic sources from Mother Earth News Food & Garden Series: Cornerstone Garlic Farm: Reidsville, NC: 336-349-5106; Gourmet Garlic Gardens: Bangs, TX www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com ; Bobba-Mike's Gourmet Garlic, Orrville, OH: http://www.garlicfarm.com/ ; Seed Savers Exchange: Decorah, IA: http://www.seedsavers.org/Items.aspx?search=garlic ; and Territorial Seed Company, Oregon: http://www.territorialseed.com/prod_detail_list/s?keyword=garlic . Over the last 25 years, we've grown around 30 different varieties and learned there are some more suited to our area and to what we like to cook than others, so it's a good thing to try, say, four varieties one year. Keep largest cloves from the one you like best for planting, and order three or four different types the next year, again keeping the one you like best to be propagated with the best from the previous year. After several years, you have a variety, or varities, you like and that itself likes your garden, too. BTW, some can up better than others, like those used for hot pickled garlic cloves, usually a hard-neck variety! Nonna, St. Helens, OR

Dear Nonna,

Thank you! for such a thoughtful and informative post. This kind of information is just great! Wow, I wish I'd spent the last 25 years growing garlic and trying all those varieties.

I have no idea what type of garlic it was that I used. It was probably soft neck, though, as I bought it in the grocery store. Just this past fall I started my own garlic and I have more to start this spring, too.

You're welcome, Megan. Enjoy the next 25 years trying lots of different varieties of garlic and deciding which ones are your favorite. I've noticed, after three or more years in our garden, the individual variety we've chosen to keep and grow as "keepers," tend to settle in and produce bigger heads. We've decided we prefer the hardneck types, partly because of the scapes, or "flowers" (a true garlic does not produce real flowers, but does form bulbules at the top of their "flower" stem). Before the scapes can open to display the bulb-lets, I cut them off about 6 inches below the bulb-lets, and cook them, usually by saute-ing and serving kinda like asparagus. Very tasty addition to a mixed veggie stir-fry as well as by themselves. The hardneck varieties also tend to be "hotter" when raw (good for salsa), but some appear hot at first but become wonderfully mellow after baking. Garlic has so many advantages: makes food taste better; gives you breath to discourage boring people, and keeps vampires from visiting. You know, we've not seen a single vampire since we started growing garlic!