Black Garlic

Happy Saturday!

What are you up to this weekend?

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We're going to visit our youngest grandson.  A little one with a spirit more peaceful and contented than any person I've ever met.

The drive is three hours one-way, so I've got this month's book club read downloaded and ready to go.

Tucked in my bag, along with some snacks, is my latest cookbook (of sorts).  Not long ago, I ordered my son and I each a copy of The Art of Fermentation, and it's been so much fun to read it together (from afar) and compare notes, ideas, and experiments(!)

Also on our weekend's agenda?  Shopping for home office ideas.  After my husband I were married, I sold my house and moved into his.  Since that time my office has switched rooms a couple of times and is getting ready for a third.

“Sweetie, the front room is great, other than it's not the best for climate control.”

 “An office right across the hall from our bedroom + a wife who works late-night work hours makes it hard to sleep.”  

I'm hoping the third time's a charm.  We're running out of rooms(!)

Whatever you're up to, I hope you have a good one

Baby Sam – 5 Months Old

Today, some fun links from around the web

In sickness, and in health.  After 63 years of marriage, a man’s devotion to his wife is unbroken by Alzheimer’s     [via The New York Times]

How the Earth Has Dramatically Upped the Stakes    [via The Washington Post]

5 of the Most Popular Recipes on the Internet Put to the Test    [via Food52]

Every week the phone line is opened to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what.  My latest podcast find – Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People

Related – Terri Gross talks about her decision not to have children    [via The Longest Shortest Time Podcast]

Photo Credit: The New York Times

9 Meals Nutritionists Eat When They're Short on Time    [via Prevention]

23 Rewards that aren't food or shopping    [via Yes and Yes]

When Did You Become An Adult?  (Don't skip the comments, they're great!)     [via The Atlantic]

Your Future Self      [via Instagram – @cherylstrayed]

Such a fun online store to buy fabric (and lots of other things)     [via The Garden of Eden]

If you love smoothies as much me, a new cookbook   [via Green Kitchen Stories]

Such a fun how-to to share: black garlic.  While it sounds like something from a specialty shop, it's simple to make it at home.

What is it?  Black garlic is simply garlic that's been roasted at a low temperature (130 – 140 degrees), for a very long time

It has dueling origin stories:  Either it was developed in 2004 by a man in Korea named Scott Kim (who also holds the patent), or it came from a 4000-year-old recipe was unearthed by an English chef, Mark Botwright

I had the best luck making it in our rice cooker, whose warm function is a pretty even 140 degrees.  We put the garlic cloves in walked away, marked the calendar, and came back for it ten days later

Before I caution you about the smell during the process, I'm happy to report that the final product was incredibly delicious.  It's sweet, savory, tart, and earthy.  Each garlic clove is a pleasantly soft chewy jelly that reminded me of a cross between caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar.

So far we've used it in dressings and as part of a rub on chicken, or fish before cooking.  Dehydrated and ground into a powder,  Bon Appetit likens it to umami fairy dust.  It can be sprinkled on anything that wants some earthiness and depth.

A few interesting notes about garlic and it's antioxidant properties

The pungent flavor of raw garlic comes from a sulfuric compound called allicin, which is also a powerful antioxidant. (note: allicin is only present for an hour after the garlic is crushed)

Roasted Garlic, which after 45 minutes at 400 degrees, garlic will turn a golden caramel color.  It's wonderful in everything,  especially spread on toast.  While it's still high in vitamins and minerals, it won't contain the antioxidant compound.  Allicin disappears with exposure to heat

What's cool about black garlic is that after an extended period of roasting at a very low temp, all of a sudden there are new enzymes and antioxidants.  In fact, these have twice the antioxidant properties of regular garlic.

A few words of warning:

My goodness is it potent smelling while it's roasting (especially the first three days).  You'll probably want to put the rice cooker on your patio or in the garage, and think twice about hosting a dinner party.

Also, whatever rice cooker you use, you may want to devote it only to this cause because from here on out your rice will taste like garlic.

Enjoy!

xoxo

~ Adapted from Bon Appetit