Garlic is my favorite spice and one of my favorite flowers because it reminds me so much of books written by Dr. Seuss. If I'm cooking, it's probably got garlic in it and my new favorite (previously secret) weapon is the Spice Hunter's California Blend Garlic Salt. It is GORGEOUS to look at, AMAZING to smell and INSANELY BEAUTIFUL tasting. It is MINE and Shawn is not allowed to use it. Ever. I picked it up for a reasonable price at my local Fop Toods. Getcha some!
Occasionally (okay, a lot) I run into recipes that call for a version of garlic that I do not yet have. There are:
Garlic Flakes.
Chopped Garlic.
Garlic Cloves.
Minced Garlic.
Garlic Powder.
Granulated Garlic.
Garlic Juice.
What happens if you don't have what the recipe calls for, but you've got some other version? How much is exactly the same? You've got to call someone or scour any recipe books you can find around the house or go online to google the conversion. For me it's picking up the phone and, "Mooooooooom!!!"
Not anymore, my friend!
Here's a little something I picked up from the Kitchen Dictionary :
Garlic Conversions
1 clove =
1 tsp chopped garlic =
1/2 tsp minced garlic =
1/2 tsp garlic flakes =
1/2 tsp garlic juice =
1/4 tsp granulated garlic =
1/8 tsp garlic powder
YES!!!! I high-fived MYSELF when I found that nugget of info! If you're crazy like me, you'll print that out and laminate it and have it posted on your fridge. If you haven't thought about laminating your recipe cards, now is a good time. Laminating machines are not expensive at all. I picked mine up for less than $20 at my local Mal-Wart! Laminate it, but halt at the golden gilding, okay? It's great but geesh.
Here are some more tips from the Kitchen Dictionary about garlic that you may find interesting:
It is known as the stinking rose. The edible bulb is made up of sections called cloves, that are encased in a parchmentlike membrane. Three major varieties are available in the US: the white-skinned strongly flavored American garlic; Mexican and Italian garlic, which have mauve-colored skins and a somewhat milder flavor; and the white-skinned, mild flavored elephant garlic, which is not a true garlic, but a relative of the leek. Green garlic, is young garlic before it begins to form cloves; resembling a baby leek, with a long green top and white bulb. Garlic's essential oils remain in the body long after consumption, affecting breath and even skin odor.
How to select: Choose firm, plump bulbs with dry skins. Avoid soft or shriveled cloves and garlic stored in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
How to store: Store fresh garlic in an open container in a cool, dark place. Unbroken bulbs can be stored up to 8 weeks. Once broken from the bulb, individual cloves will keep 3-10 days.
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