HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-09-25, Page 43Witte pOter,
By Ted Larsen
"Wel loved he garleek, oy. ons,
and lekes,/And for to'drynken
strong wyn, reed as blood." —
Geoffrey Chaucer, 1369, "The
Canterbury Tales" '
ven though lusty Geoff
wrote this more than
570 years before I set
foot on the planet, he
described me perfectly.
Yes, I must confess,
among other passions, I am a
lover of garlic, onion, leeks and
red wine, but garlic is my true
forever love. This also explains
why I spend so much time
alone.
It's unfortunate that a
sometime solitary existence is
the penalty for garlic lust, but
man must pay for his excesses,
here or in heaven. I'm told,
though, that garlic fanatics are
partially excused for their vice
because for centuries it was
believed to scare off the devil.
In some primitive religions, it
still is. As you can see, I'm a
master of rationalization.
Garlic, a member of the onion
family, is a native of Central
Asia and for centuries it has
been a staple of Asian, African
and European cookery. The
slaves who built the Egyptian
pyramids popped garlic cloves
for strength as they toiled under
the blistering sun. Even a
blindfolded traveler, led only by
his nose, could find that
construction. site.
Medieval pilgrims generally
carried a clove or tvvo for, plague
protection. Even though early
settlers discovered a wild garlic
in the colonies, the European
variety that we know had an.
uphill battle to win wide
acceptance. For more than 200
years it was only popular around
the Gulf of Mexico where •
French, Spanish, and
African—Caribbean influences
were strong. Elsewhere, garlic
• was the stuff of foreigners,
popular only in ethnic
neighborhoods of large cities.
• American food writer Waverly
Root had a significant
' observation. When he made
France his home in 1927, only
dirty stateside laborers proudly
ate garlic.
However, when he, returned to
these shores in 1940, garlic was
the "in" seasoning. He noted
humorously that Americans
relished garlic in everything
except ice cream, a total
turnaround in only 13 years.
Sometimes we are slow learners.
The odor of garlic is a direct
result of its treatment. Rough
handling will leave you gassed,
while kid -glove treatment results
in a subtle, rich aroma. Locked
in garlic tissue is an odorless
sulphur compound. When that
tissue is disturbed by a knife
cut, the compound mixes with a
garlic juice enzyme and the
familiar sulphurous garlic scent
is formed. That's why a whole
clove, slowly cooked, is so mild,
while crushed garlic is •
tremendously pungent.
Arleux, France, and Gilroy,
Calif., both vie for the title of
"garlic capital of the world."
When buying garlic, look for the
loose kind. The boxed variety
are often stale and lack zest.
After all, fragrance is where it's
at, even if you're forced to
enjoy it all by yourself.
Here is the perfect proof of
garlic treatment vs. flavor.
Leave the cloves undisturbed,
and you'll be rewarded with a
memorable taste and scent
experience.
GARLIC TOAST SPREAD
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
25 cloves garlic, unpeeled
salt
pepper
1 cup dry white wine
4 slices white toast, halved
4 tablespoons parsley, minced
Heat the oil and butter in a
saute pan until foaming. Cook °
the garlic, cloves for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and pepper along
with the wine. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat to simmer. Cook,
uncovered; for 15 minutes.
Remove the simmered garlic
with a slotted spoon. With your
thumb and forefinger, squeeze
the garlic cloves from their skin
and place them in a mixing
bowl.
Using a fork, crush the
cloves, one by one, until they
form a paste. Spread the garlic
paste on the toast and reserve.
Quicklyreturn-wine sauce in the
saute pan to a boil and reduce
by about a third. Pour sauce
over garlic/toast combination.
Before serving, sprinkle with the
reserved parsley.
Serves 4.