pickled garlic

[Guest guest]

>I'm figuring that I'm doing this wrong and that there IS a way to just simply

pop the clove from it's casing into the mason jar sans the mess. Anyone know

how to do this?

>

>

Buy a garlic " roller " . It is a little rubber thingie, you put the garlic in it,

and roll it with your hand, and voila! it pops right out of it's little skin.

That and a garlic press are two items you can't do without. I think they call it

a " garlic cannoli " .

OR ... if you are REAL GARLIC FIEND (as I am) you can buy a half gallon of live

garlic cloves pre-peeled at Costco for about $4. They are not organic, I think,

but organic garlic is rare anyway. I use these by the handful. They are still

alive -- they sprout! There is nothing quite like sauteed garlic in a dish.

I still say garlic ferments better with napa though, so I use about 2 cups of

garlic in with my kimchi, which is enough garlic for any sane human.

== Heidi

[Guest guest]

I still say garlic ferments better with napa though, so I use about 2

cups of

garlic in with my kimchi, which is enough garlic for any sane human.

Is this 2 cups per qt jar?

Del

[Guest guest]

>I still say garlic ferments better with napa though, so I use about 2

>cups of

>garlic in with my kimchi, which is enough garlic for any sane human.

>

>Is this 2 cups per qt jar?

>

>Del

Hehe. No, not yet. 2 cups per 2 gallons.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

That was kinda bogas to think 2 cups of salt for every qt of napa

LOL! You never know though!

Del

>

> >I still say garlic ferments better with napa though, so I use

about 2

> >cups of

> >garlic in with my kimchi, which is enough garlic for any sane

human.

> >

> >Is this 2 cups per qt jar?

> >

> >Del

>

> Hehe. No, not yet. 2 cups per 2 gallons.

>

> -- Heidi

[Guest guest]

It sounds like all that responded to this message suggest that I should peel

the garlic before roasting. I've got the roller to do this and will give it

a try. I swear the recipe tells me to put the whole bulb in the oven and

just wait for it to open up, whatever that means.

Thanks -

-

[Guest guest]

Well, if i'm not trying to roast it in the oven I just take the clove, put it on

the cutting board, put the flat part of my knife on it and smack it! (don't

cut yourself). Breaks up the clove a bit, the peel pops right off and dicing

is easier as it's already partially broken up. This isn't " nice " to the garlic

and supposedly creates a stronger taste, but I love garlic and my time is

cut by more than half.

Roasting in the peel bugs me though. Maybe i'm just trying to be too

clean and don't like any peel/wrapper on/in it. So, I get lazy and just roast

it without the peel. Anyone have neat tricks?

My fiance studied to be a chef and has other great tricks (like how to dice

onions) but his teacher would have frowned on my garlic trick. =)

Dawn

>

> Buy a garlic " roller " . It is a little rubber thingie, you put the

> garlic in it, and roll it with your hand, and voila! it pops right out

> of it's little skin. That and a garlic press are two items you can't

> do without. I think they call it a " garlic cannoli " .

>

> OR ... if you are REAL GARLIC FIEND (as I am) you can buy a half

> gallon of live garlic cloves pre-peeled at Costco for about $4. They

> are not organic, I think, but organic garlic is rare anyway. I use

> these by the handful. They are still alive -- they sprout! There is

> nothing quite like sauteed garlic in a dish.

>

> I still say garlic ferments better with napa though, so I use about 2

> cups of garlic in with my kimchi, which is enough garlic for any sane

> human.

>

> == Heidi

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

Not meaning to sound alarmist, but I personally would be very

concerned about unlabeled garlic these days because there has been a

glut of garlic in the U.S. market from China, which is essentially

wiping out the smaller domestic garlic producers who can't compete in

price. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?

file=/c/a/2002/05/28/MN182991.DTL

On another unfortunate note, many parts of China actually use

industrial sludge as fertilizer, and since garlic is buried in the

ground, well, it's kind of iffy although I can't point to any studies

of contaminants or anything. I just take it for granted that there's

more lead, arsenic, mercury, etc. than I want, not withstanding any

chelation benefits that garlic may actually impart--so it may be a

wash, who know?

Garlic turns out to be surprisingly easy to grow, even in a pot.

To be fair, the U.S. certainly does it's share of dumping worldwide.

In fact, I believe that U.S. taxpayers pay billions of dollars a year

in fines to make up for U.S. world trade misdeeds including dumping,

a practice enabled by unfair subsidies to huge agribusiness and other

giant exporters, and offshore companies who call themselves U.S., and

other tax shelter scams. The EU, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile,

India, Indonesia, etc., bring actions against the U.S. every year,

the ruling is always against the U.S. (rightfully), but our

government just pays the fine, and ocasionally comes up with a new

way of giving exporters the same subsidies (like eliminating taxes on

corporations doing business abroad)-while we (you and me) are the

ones actually paying the fines to support their business as usual!

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/distabase_wto_members4_e.h

tm

in Berkeley

P.S. Dean on Protecting Family Farms:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?

pagename=policy_record_economy_agriculture

[Guest guest]

>Heidi,

>

>Not meaning to sound alarmist,

Alarmist, in this group? Isn't that our job?

>but I personally would be very

>concerned about unlabeled garlic these days because there has been a

>glut of garlic in the U.S. market from China, which is essentially

>wiping out the smaller domestic garlic producers who can't compete in

>price.

<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl\

e.cgi?

>file=/c/a/2002/05/28/MN182991.DTL

Good point. Mine is labelled from " Gilroy, California " -- it may well be full

of industrial sludge, but at least it is AMERICAN sludge!

Products at Costco are ridiculously cheap, but usually the product is the

same one you see for sale at the regular stores. It gets even worse when

you look at " business wholesale " prices. There is a huge markup for the

end consumer. That holds for all products -- usually if you can go straight

to the source or the distributor, stuff is cheap.

>Garlic turns out to be surprisingly easy to grow, even in a pot.

That is a good point. One of my batches of garlic cloves is sprouting, and

I'm going to look for a good spot to plant them. I've been growing some in

a pot and they did ok, but they fell over. I think they need to be planted

closer

together?

Whenever I get a garlic clover that is sprouting, or a green onion that is

wilting,

I just stick it in a pot and let it grow.

[Guest guest]

Ive' been told planting garlic near roses keeps the bugs away form the roses.

DOn't know if this is so.

Amy

Re: RE: Pickled Garlic

>Heidi,

>

>Not meaning to sound alarmist,

Alarmist, in this group? Isn't that our job?

>but I personally would be very

>concerned about unlabeled garlic these days because there has been a

>glut of garlic in the U.S. market from China, which is essentially

>wiping out the smaller domestic garlic producers who can't compete in

>price.

<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl\

e.cgi?

>file=/c/a/2002/05/28/MN182991.DTL

Good point. Mine is labelled from " Gilroy, California " -- it may well be full

of industrial sludge, but at least it is AMERICAN sludge!

Products at Costco are ridiculously cheap, but usually the product is the

same one you see for sale at the regular stores. It gets even worse when

you look at " business wholesale " prices. There is a huge markup for the

end consumer. That holds for all products -- usually if you can go straight

to the source or the distributor, stuff is cheap.

>Garlic turns out to be surprisingly easy to grow, even in a pot.

That is a good point. One of my batches of garlic cloves is sprouting, and

I'm going to look for a good spot to plant them. I've been growing some in

a pot and they did ok, but they fell over. I think they need to be planted

closer

together?

Whenever I get a garlic clover that is sprouting, or a green onion that is

wilting,

I just stick it in a pot and let it grow.

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

You wrote:

>a glut of garlic in the U.S. market from China, which is essentially

>wiping out the smaller domestic garlic producers who can't compete in

>price.

Don't forget Walmart and Costco which were established for essentially

for the same reason.

Larry

RE: Pickled Garlic

Heidi,

Not meaning to sound alarmist, but I personally would be very

concerned about unlabeled garlic these days because there has been a

glut of garlic in the U.S. market from China, which is essentially

wiping out the smaller domestic garlic producers who can't compete in

price. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?

file=/c/a/2002/05/28/MN182991.DTL

On another unfortunate note, many parts of China actually use

industrial sludge as fertilizer, and since garlic is buried in the

ground, well, it's kind of iffy although I can't point to any studies

of contaminants or anything. I just take it for granted that there's

more lead, arsenic, mercury, etc. than I want, not withstanding any

chelation benefits that garlic may actually impart--so it may be a

wash, who know?

Garlic turns out to be surprisingly easy to grow, even in a pot.

To be fair, the U.S. certainly does it's share of dumping worldwide.

In fact, I believe that U.S. taxpayers pay billions of dollars a year

in fines to make up for U.S. world trade misdeeds including dumping,

a practice enabled by unfair subsidies to huge agribusiness and other

giant exporters, and offshore companies who call themselves U.S., and

other tax shelter scams. The EU, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile,

India, Indonesia, etc., bring actions against the U.S. every year,

the ruling is always against the U.S. (rightfully), but our

government just pays the fine, and ocasionally comes up with a new

way of giving exporters the same subsidies (like eliminating taxes on

corporations doing business abroad)-while we (you and me) are the

ones actually paying the fines to support their business as usual!

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/distabase_wto_members4_e.h

tm

in Berkeley

P.S. Dean on Protecting Family Farms:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?

pagename=policy_record_economy_agriculture

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

>Good point. Mine is labelled from " Gilroy, California " -- it may

>well be full of industrial sludge, but at least it is AMERICAN

>sludge!

LOL. Yes I suppose that is an improvement. Of course a portion of the

sludge in China is American too, that is, U.S.-based corporate

manufacturers, such as U.S. automakers still manufacturing and

selling cars in China that use leaded gas.

>Whenever I get a garlic clove that is sprouting, or a green onion ?

>that is wilting, I just stick it in a pot and let it grow.

That's pretty much my method too.

[Guest guest]

I pickle raw garlic, mostly to preserve it. We buy garlic in huge

peeled jars ( Ranch--sure it's not organic but until we can

grow our own again this will have to do) at the restaurant supply house

and I always end up with a good pint jarful I can't use before it goes

bad. Even so it's amazing how much garlic I can go through! I just use

the NT recipe and I don't roast it first. The garlic doesn't taste much

different, frankly, but it keeps for a very long time.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.wisforwomen.com

[Guest guest]

> 1) The recipe recommends heating the garlic at 300F until the bulbs

> open up. I've always heard that heating garlic causes it to lose

> much of its benefits. Is this not true? I tried heating garlic

> until it opened once before. It did not have that strong, crazy

> garlic taste anymore. It was like a lion turned sheep. Stumble,

> tremble...fall.

I don't have any hard facts handy about the effect of heating on the

garlic's value, but I can say for sure that the heating/roasting step

is totally unnecessary. I've pickled raw garlic--whole cloves and

grated, alone and mixed with other things--plenty of times and it

always turned out great and last forever. I think Sally's idea was

some kind of labor-saving kitchen trick, but I don't see what the big

deal is about just using a knife and hands to handle garlic--I do it

all the time and it doesn't seem difficult or overly tedious.

> 2) The process of Lacto fermentation causes the lactobacilli to

> multiply. Wouldn't heating the garlic prior to fermentation kill

> the lactobacilli?

Well it would certainly kill the lactobacilli present in the garlic,

but then the whey or other source of lactobacilli in the recipe would

supply plenty for the fermentation. I don't know whether garlic is

good source of indigenous bacteria (I'm guessing it *isn't*)--the key

is that it's a great source of sugars to feed the bacteria, and the

inulin is a boon to fermentation.

> 3) If I am correct with the above two ideas, wouldn't it be best to

> just eat raw garlic for garlic benefits and eat another kind of

> lactofermented food for probiotic benefits?

If you make fermented raw garlic, you'll probably get some of the

benefits of raw garlic and also probiotic benefits. If you make

fermented pre-heated garlic, you'll probably get less of the benefits

of raw garlic, but still the same probiotic benefits. I suspect some

of the benefits of raw, fresh things like garlic are lost when they

are fermented, but then they are probably usually outweighed by the

benefits of fermentation, and there are cases like Heidi where a

person has a bad reaction to fresh raw garlic (not just flavor), but

has no problem with fermented raw garlic.

By all means, make some kimchi and add the garlic!

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. --Alan Kay

[Guest guest]

Ooh, yummy! I love garlic in all of its forms. I'm going to make some. And Rosemary Gladstar is cool too. She used to run the herb school here in Sonoma County, and her herb store, Rosemary's Garden, is still going strong. I think she lives in Canada now.

Bindi

Pickled Garlic

I have found that taking raw garlic has been very hard to swallow, especially for my kids. I have found this recipe for pickled garlic. The article I found this claims that pickling garlic softens the bite while perserving most of its antimicrobial properties. This recipe is from a herbalist named Rosemary Gladstar.

1. Combine 1/4 cup each of good-quality soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, and water.

2. If yor have difficulty dissolving the honey, warm the mixture gently.

3. Place the nixture into a pint-size jar.

4. Add as many peeled garlic cloves as you can, making sure that the garlic is covered by the liquid.

5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before using.

6. Eat 1 or 2 cloves dainly as desired. Pickled garlic will keep for at least a couple of months in the refrigerator.

I am going to mix some up tonight, I hope it works as cold and flu season is coming up soon.

Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out.

[Guest guest]

Don't laugh, but when I eat my raw garlic, I chop it up and wrap a slice of cheese around it to kill the taste a little. lol Lamse <wannabe_proverbs31@...> wrote: I have found that taking raw garlic has been very hard to swallow, especially for my kids. I have found this recipe for pickled garlic. The article I found this claims that pickling garlic softens the bite while perserving most of its antimicrobial properties. This recipe is from a herbalist named Rosemary Gladstar. 1. Combine 1/4 cup each of good-quality soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, and water. 2. If yor have difficulty dissolving the honey, warm the mixture gently. 3. Place the nixture into a pint-size jar. 4. Add as many peeled garlic cloves as you can, making sure that the garlic is covered by the liquid. 5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before using. 6. Eat 1 or 2 cloves dainly as desired. Pickled garlic will keep for at least a couple of months in the refrigerator. I am going to mix some up tonight, I hope it works as cold and flu season is coming up soon. Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out.

Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.

[Guest guest]

I'm a garlic lover also I will have to try it! Thanks for sharing!!

>

> I have found that taking raw garlic has been very hard to swallow,

especially for my kids. I have found this recipe for pickled

garlic. The article I found this claims that pickling garlic softens

the bite while perserving most of its antimicrobial properties.

This recipe is from a herbalist named Rosemary Gladstar.

>

> 1. Combine 1/4 cup each of good-quality soy sauce, apple cider

vinegar, honey, and water.

>

> 2. If yor have difficulty dissolving the honey, warm the

mixture gently.

>

> 3. Place the nixture into a pint-size jar.

>

> 4. Add as many peeled garlic cloves as you can, making sure

that the garlic is covered by the liquid.

>

> 5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before

using.

>

> 6. Eat 1 or 2 cloves dainly as desired. Pickled garlic will

keep for at least a couple of months in the refrigerator.

>

> I am going to mix some up tonight, I hope it works as cold and

flu season is coming up soon.

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out.

>

[Guest guest]

I do the same, but with chicken instead. Chicken and garlic are great together. PattyLeyna <leyna1964@...> wrote: Don't laugh, but when I eat my raw garlic, I chop it up and wrap a slice of cheese around it to kill the taste a little. lol Lamse <wannabe_proverbs31 > wrote: I have found that taking raw garlic has been very

hard to swallow, especially for my kids. I have found this recipe for pickled garlic. The article I found this claims that pickling garlic softens the bite while perserving most of its antimicrobial properties. This recipe is from a herbalist named Rosemary Gladstar. 1. Combine 1/4 cup each of good-quality soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, and water. 2. If yor have difficulty dissolving the honey, warm the mixture gently. 3. Place the nixture into a pint-size jar. 4. Add as many peeled garlic cloves as you can, making sure that the garlic is covered by the liquid. 5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before using. 6. Eat 1 or 2 cloves dainly as desired. Pickled garlic will keep for at least a couple of months in

the refrigerator. I am going to mix some up tonight, I hope it works as cold and flu season is coming up soon. Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out. Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.

Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small Business.

[Guest guest]

Chicken and garlic; chicken and onion; chicken and just about any vegetable.

Yum.

I love chicken. And it is on my diet ;-)

I have found that

taking raw

garlic has been very hard to swallow, especially for my kids. I have found this

recipe for

pickled garlic. The article I found this claims that pickling garlic softens the

bite while

perserving most of its antimicrobial properties. This recipe is from a

herbalist named

Rosemary Gladstar.

>

> 1. Combine 1/4 cup each of good-quality soy sauce, apple cider vinegar,

honey, and

water.

>

> 2. If yor have difficulty dissolving the honey, warm the mixture gently.

>

> 3. Place the nixture into a pint-size jar.

>

> 4. Add as many peeled garlic cloves as you can, making sure that the garlic

is covered

by the liquid.

>

> 5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before using.

>

> 6. Eat 1 or 2 cloves dainly as desired. Pickled garlic will keep for at

least a couple of

months in the refrigerator.

>

> I am going to mix some up tonight, I hope it works as cold and flu season is

coming up

soon.

>

> ---------------------------------

> Stay in the know. Pulse on the new .com. Check it out.

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small

Business.

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Small

Business.

>

[Guest guest]

google for garlic - blue and you will find your answers.

I once put peeled garlic cloves in a jar of ACV and they turned an eerie blue

green color, but after sitting around for months that color has gone away.

zoe

Wednesday, February 7, 2007, 3:54:06 AM, you wrote:

HI-

I made the pickled garlic from NT last night and hoped I could get some

feedback.

First: the baking part. No peeling was mentioned at all, but I baked them

around 30 minutes as whole heads, then peeled each clove. I noticed that

many of the cloves had a greeneish cast (not sprouting, but greenish on the

outside surfaces). This just got worse after I put them in jars (I had

enough to do 1 quart and 1 pint) I used fresh whey from the local raw dairy.

Has anyoe experoenced this? It won't bother me to eat them (they are now

looking almost teal in spots) but just wanted to make sure they were safe.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Pickling Garlic.

Pickled garlic may not be exactly like fresh garlic but it has a wonderfully refreshing and invigorating flavor of its own. I like any kind but basically use refrigerator pickles more than anything else because they're quick and easy and taste great. I usually add some onion, cucumber, squash slices and a little dill seed in some apple cider vinegar, or any other kind I happen to have on hand. They're fabulous with sandwiches, salads or just as crunchy snacks by themselves. They lose a lot of the heat in pickling and so you can eat more garlic this way. I'm not any kind of expert on canning or preserving but I picked a few recipes to pass on for several different ways of pickling garlic. Pickle the garlic anyway you want to, but pickle it and eat it because it is too delicious of a snack to pass up.Here's a recipe from Canoe, the Canadian Internet Network:Pickled Garlic: 12 large heads garlic, about 838 g (1 3/4 lb) 625 mL (21/2

cups) white vinegar 250 mL (1 cup) dry white wine 15 mL (1 tbsp) pickling salt 15 mL (1 tbsp) granulated sugar 15 mL (1 tbsp) dried oregano 5 dried whole chili peppers

Separate garlic bulbs into cloves. To soften and loosen skins, blanch garlic cloves in rapidly boiling water 30 seconds; immediately immerse in cold water, drain and peel cloves.

Place 5 clean 250 or 236 mL Mason jars in a boiling water canner; fill with water, bring to a boil. Boil SNAP lids 5 minutes to soften sealing compound.

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, wine, pickling salt, sugar and oregano. Bring to a boil; boil gently 1 minute; remove from heat. Add peeled garlic cloves to hot vinegar mixture. Stir constantly 1 minute.

Pack garlic and 1 dried whole chili pepper into a hot jar to within 2 cm ( 3/4-inch) of top rim. Add hot liquid to cover garlic to within 1 cm (1/2-inch) of top rim (head space). Using rubber spatula, remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre SNAP lid on jar; apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat for remaining garlic and liquid.

Cover canner; return water to a boil. Process -- boil filled jars -- 10 minutes. Remove jars. Cool undisturbed 24 hours. Check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store in a cool, dark place. Makes 5 250 or 236 mL jars.

Note: At elevations higher than 305 m (1,000 ft) increase processing time. Add 5 minutes at 306 to 915 m (1,000-3,000 ft); add 10 minutes at 916 to 1830 m (3,001-6,000 ft); add 15 minutes at elevations higher than 1831 m (6,0001 ft).

Warning: This recipe was specially formulated to allow home canners to preserve a low acid food -- garlic -- in a commonly available boiling water canner. Please do not deviate from the recipe ingredients; quantities, jar size and processing method and time. Any change could affect the safety of the end product.

Easy to Make Refrigerator Garlic Pickles

Ingredients: Whole, peeled garlic cloves Red wine vinegarSalt (about 1 Tbs. per cup of vinegar)Place the cloves of garlic in a jar with an air-tight lid. Add enough vinegar to cover, and add salt. Place lid on jar and shake to dissolve salt. Store in the refrigerator for two weeks before using to "cure". These should keep almost indefinitely, covered and refrigerated.

Kim Gunderson's (G & H Garlic Farm in Littleton, NH) Soy Refrigerator Pickled Garlic - Added October 14, 2005

Ingredients: Whole, peeled garlic cloves 5% Vinegar of your choiceKikkoman's light soy sauce with reduced saltPlace the cloves of garlic in a jar with a lid and add enough vinegar to cover. Place lid on jar and store in the refrigerator for two weeks to "cure". Drain vinegar off and use seperately as garlic flavored vinegar. Place cloves into jar and add soy sauce to cover. Wait a week or more before eating. These should keep almost indefinitely, covered and refrigerated.

Another Recipe for Refrigerated Pickled Garlic Great midnight snacks for true garlic lovers!2 whole heads garlic, divided into peeled cloves 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar3 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon commercial mixed pickling spice 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 inches long one 1/2 pint sterilized jar with lid

Peel garlic, Cut any pieces that are thicker than 3/4 inch in half length-wise. In a small saucepan, boil vinegar, sugar, salt and pickling spice, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add garlic cloves and return to a boil; cook stirring for 1 minute. Put thyme sprigs in jar then pour in garlic, liquid, and spices, filling to within 1/4 inch of top, making sure garlic is covered. Cover tightly. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to blend flavors, then refrigerate for up to 2 months. Makes one 8 ounce jar. By: Shepherd and Fran Raboff Shepherd's Garden Seeds

The North Carolina State University website says: Vinegar is an acid food but could become a low acid food if too much plant material is added to it (herbs and garlic). As long as only a sprig or two are added and they become fully acidified throughout and don't change the pH of the original vinegar then the contents remain an acid food. The problem is that what is a sprig to me may be a branch to someone else. The material must be fully submerged and you should have a way of determining if the pH of the plant material is below 4.6. These conditions and controls have been determined for the commercial manufacture of flavored vinegar but do not exist for the home.

Garlic contains sulfur compounds which can react with copper to form copper sulfate, a blue or blue-green compound. The amount of copper needed for this reaction is very small and is frequently found in normal water supplies. Garlic Can Turn BlueRaw garlic contains an enzyme that if not inactivated by heating reacts with sulfur (in the garlic) and copper (from water or utensils) to form blue copper sulfate. The garlic is still safe to eat. Garlic can turn GreenIf the garlic was not fully mature or dry, pigments in the garlic may turn green when in the presence of acid. Garlic will also turn green (develop chlorophyll) if exposed to an temperature change or is exposed to sunlight. Some people say it can be stored for 32 days at or above 70 - 80° F to prevent greening, but I'm not yet sure that is true. Green garlic is safe to eat.

Storing Garlic in Oil - Warning! - Not Safe.

It's important to keep food safety in mind when storing garlic in oil. Low-acid foods like garlic can be a source of Clostridium botulinum bacteria which are found in soil, water, and air. Oil's oxygen-free environment is perfect for growth of this anaerobic bacteria. Garlic in oil, therefore, must be stored correctly to prevent botulism food poisoning.

Commercial garlic-in-oil mixtures are acidified to prevent bacterial growth. These products can be stored safely at room temperature. Unfortunately, acidification of garlic in homemade oil mixtures can't be recommended because no research exists to support proper procedures. Different people recommend different methods and time to acidify and it is hard to know who is right. Instead, it's best to store these hazardous oils in the refrigerator, but for a limited time only. This conflicts with the desire for long term storage.

When raw garlic is stored in oil, Clostridium botulinum bacteria can grow. These mixtures must be refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. After 3 weeks of refrigeration, the increased number of bacteria will become a food safety hazard. Therefore, these mixtures should not be refrigerated longer than 3 weeks.

When garlic is immediately removed after flavoring oil, the bacteria will not have a "food source" for growth. The flavored oil can be stored safely at room temperature.

When vegetables or herbs are dried, water will not be available for bacterial growth. Therefore, DRIED vegetables or dried herbs (including garlic) in oil can be stored safely at room temperature. Note. Tomatoes are high in acid. Therefore, plain dried tomatoes in oil can be safely stored at room temperature.

Storage Recommendations: (According to Oregon State University Extension Service).

Raw or cooked garlic and/or herbs in oil:These mixtures MUST be refrigerated. Do not store them longer than 3 weeks in the refrigerator. (Note. Raw garlic MAY be safely stored in vinegar at room temperature.)

Dried garlic and/or herbs in oil: If oil is seasoned with dried garlic and/or dried herbs, the mixture may be safely stored at room temperature. (Refrigeration may delay rancidity, however.)

The FDA MEMO on Garlic in Oil Preparations

News04/17/1989Garlic in Oil Mixes P89-20Food and Drug AdministrationFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEW. Lecos (202) 245-1144

Because of a risk of botulism, the Food and Drug Administration today told companies to stop making any garlic-in-oil mixes which require refrigeration for safety. The agency also urged consumers to discard these and similar homemade products.

To be safe, FDA said, garlic-in-oil products should contain additional ingredients -- specific levels of microbial inhibitors or acidifying agents such as phosphoric or citric acid. Most garlic products do contain these additives, as disclosed on their labels.

But some food boutique or specialty mixes do not include the additives and need to be refrigerated from production through use. Manufacturers, repackers, food distributors and retailers who may handle these products are being notified by FDA that these products should be withdrawn.

FDA Commissioner E. Young, M.D., Ph.D., said, "FDA's concern is that many consumers and retailers may consider such products to be non-perishable develop botulism too, Dr. Young warned, advising that these home products "should be made fresh for each use and not left around at room temperatures."

When two men and a woman from Kingston, N.Y., were hospitalized with botulism food poisoning after eating a commercial mix that had not been kept refrigerated, FDA at first issued a warning to consumers March 6 that improperly formulated products left at room temperature may develop deadly botulism toxin. But the agency reviewed these products' safety further and decided to eliminate the susceptible mixes. FDA said studies showed: -- Unrefrigerated garlic-in-oil mixes lacking antimicrobial agents can permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria with subsequent toxin production without affecting the taste and smell of the products. -- Toxin production can occur even when a small number of Clostridium botulinum spores are present in the garlic. When the spore-containing garlic is bottled and covered with oil, an oxygen-free environment is created that promotes the germination of spores and the growth of microorganisms at temperatures as

low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Botulism is a potentially fatal food poisoning characterized by blurred or double vision, speech and breathing difficulty and progressive paralysis. Without prompt and correct treatment, one-third of those diagnosed may die. Clostridium botulinum bacteria are widespread in the environment, but their spores cause no harm when there is oxygen in the environment.

Suzi

List Owner

health/

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

[Guest guest]

AWESOME!!!Thank you! Looks like the key to avoiding botulism is to soak the garlic in vinegar first!CandaceSent from my iPhoneOn Jan 3, 2010, at 9:06 PM, Suzanne <suziesgoats@...> wrote:

Pickling Garlic.

Pickled garlic may not be exactly like fresh garlic but it has a wonderfully refreshing and invigorating flavor of its own.