Saturday Shortcut: Garlic

Today is the first day of my Staycation.  So naturally, I’m spending it like any other Saturday.  Miss Chef has to work tonight, so I’m at home, trying to not be a total couch potato.  Hey, it’s hot out there!

This morning, though, I did get outside before the real heat set in.  I watered the garden, trimmed the flower buds off the basil, cleared the dead coreopsis from the front bed…all those morning garden chores I cannot will myself out of bed for during the week.

I also harvested most of the garlic.

 

For anyone who doesn’t know where their grocery store garlic comes from, here’s the entire plant, enjoying a last sunbath on our patio chaise longue:

 

I guess that’s approaching 4’ tall, though several inches are below ground as it grows.  Here’s a closeup of the flowers, on top of the long, sturdy stalks called scapes.  Those are good eating, too.

I did leave a few plants in the ground, hoping for some of these flower buds to open.  They, too, can be used, for example as a garnish to finish off a pasta or maybe a cold salad.

As I looked at the grubby bulbs, I was suddenly aware of another benefit to getting to know the farmers at the market.  I didn’t need to scrub these babies.  I cut the stalks, then simply pulled down a few of the outer layers of skin, like an onion.  And voila, fresh clean garlic.

 

I did give their dirty little birds a soak and a rinse, and now they are splayed out on our wire onion basket to dry.

And now back to our previously scheduled housecleaning…