Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
cloves.

Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

On Nov 13, 8:16 am, Kalmia > wrote:
> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

I don't know the science of it either but I agree that how you prepare
garlic seems to have a direct effect on how pungent or how mellow it
is. I have developed habits of how I use it in specific dishes--
minced, pressed, smashed, juiced or sliced--but I couldn't prove I
have each way perfectly matched with its end use. One example--I
sometimes use thawed frozen whole green beans. I gently cook sliced
garlic in butter and then toss the green beans in to heat with s&p.
Usually finish with a squeeze of lemon. To my taste, the sliced
garlic works noticeably better for this than minced or pressed, being
fragrant but mellow. Maybe it's really self-delusion, but it works
for me. -aem

aem wrote:
> On Nov 13, 8:16 am, Kalmia > wrote:
>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
>> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
>> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
>> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
>> cloves.
>>
>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
> I don't know the science of it either but I agree that how you prepare
> garlic seems to have a direct effect on how pungent or how mellow it
> is. I have developed habits of how I use it in specific dishes--
> minced, pressed, smashed, juiced or sliced--but I couldn't prove I
> have each way perfectly matched with its end use. One example--I
> sometimes use thawed frozen whole green beans. I gently cook sliced
> garlic in butter and then toss the green beans in to heat with s&p.
> Usually finish with a squeeze of lemon. To my taste, the sliced
> garlic works noticeably better for this than minced or pressed, being
> fragrant but mellow. Maybe it's really self-delusion, but it works
> for me. -aem

I wonder whether this all has to do with the exposure of cut
surfaces? It seems to me that pressed garlic is the most pungent.
(I always pressed garlic when I first started cooking.) Minced
would be less so, and sliced/whole would be progressively less.
That being said, obviously the pressed garlic lacks visual appeal.
On the other hand, sometimes, you don't want visible hunks of
garlic.

--
Jean B.

Kalmia wrote:
> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

I find it hard to believe that there is molecular breakdown from one
process or the other. Any molecular change would more likely occur from
cooking or otherwise processing it, but not from pressing or mincing.

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:49:28 -0800 (PST), aem >
wrote:

>I gently cook sliced
>garlic in butter and then toss the green beans in to heat with s&p.
>Usually finish with a squeeze of lemon. To my taste, the sliced
>garlic works noticeably better for this than minced or pressed, being
>fragrant but mellow. Maybe it's really self-delusion, but it works
>for me. -aem

I've never been so sensitive to garlic that a mere whiff is enough for
me. I like garlic and a lot of it. Slices of garlic simmered in
butter look pretty, but there is no garlic taste AFAIC which equals a
waste of garlic and effort.

I started off pressing garlic, because that's all I knew. My mother
pressed fresh garlic as did every adult around me. After the
television cooks showed me how to crush garlic with the blade of a
knife and mince/chop etc I started doing it that way and never looked
back.

Getting back to pressed garlic vs. chopped/minced, first of all you
have to treat pressed with more care because it will burn more easily
than chopped, but as far as taste goes I'd venture a guess that it
cooks more quickly and therefore mellows more quickly. I like the
bite of garlic and that's why I like it chunkier. If I want mellow
garlic, I roast it first and just squeeze it into whatever I'm making.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice. I love
garlic, and want as much of the flavor and health benefits I can get from
it. I don't see the point of using it at all if you don't want the full
flavor.

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:06:57 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

> It seems to me that pressed garlic is the most pungent.

AFAIC the best use for pressed garlic is smushed into butter that
you're getting ready to make garlic bread with. I don't have that
chore anymore and my kids put minced garlic on garlic bread so I've
been looking at my garlic presses lately and wondering why I bother to
keep them. I even use a knife to make garlic paste these days.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

cybercat wrote on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500:


> "Kalmia" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a
>> different effect if put thru a press rather than being
>> minced. Something about molecular breakdown..... All I know
>> is....I don't like pressed garlic in certain dishes and have noted
>> some recipes to be sure to mince the cloves.
>>
>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

>I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use
>the flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice. I
>love garlic, and want as much of the flavor and health benefits I can
>get from it. I don't see the point of using it at all if you don't want
>the full flavor.

My thoughts entirely! I messed (and is that the word!) around with
garlic presses until I saw Julia Child's demonstration of using a heavy
chef's knife.


--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"cybercat" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Kalmia" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
>> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
>> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
>> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
>> cloves.
>>
>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
> flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice. I love
> garlic, and want as much of the flavor and health benefits I can get from
> it. I don't see the point of using it at all if you don't want the full
> flavor.
>
I do the same, along with you and Jacques Pepin. Pressing is a pain.

On Nov 13, 1:36 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
> > I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
> > flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice.
>
> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it with the
> knife? You're going to chop it with the knife anyway...
>
> -sw

Yes. Smash with the knife and the skin comes off. Mince. If salt is
going into the Rx, work it in now , on the board with the knife, and
the granules mash up the garlic pretty good. The smaller the bits,
the more garlic flavor gets out.

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:06:07 -0800 (PST), bulka
> wrote:

>On Nov 13, 1:36 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
>> > I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
>> > flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice.
>>
>> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it with the
>> knife? You're going to chop it with the knife anyway...
>>
>> -sw
>
>Yes. Smash with the knife and the skin comes off. Mince. If salt is
>going into the Rx, work it in now , on the board with the knife, and
>the granules mash up the garlic pretty good. The smaller the bits,
>the more garlic flavor gets out.

How to prep garlic mostly depends on what you're cooking... the
shorter the cooking time the finer the cut... with stir frys smash or
fine mince (often I prefer to smash lightly (like a cracked olive) so
the clove holds together and can be removed after it flavors the oil).
For long cooking sauces, stews, soups, and stocks simply cut slits
part way so that the flavor is released evenly over time and so that
the entire clove holds together, then the spent clove can be pulled
out after cooking, or in stages during cooking with freshly slitted
cloves added, this gives a remarkable depth of flavor... many cooks
add a ton of garlic at the git-go and after cooking a long time most
of essence of garlic has cooked away, except for bitterness... it's
best to add less at the onset and replenish. With some dishes slices
or slivers are appropriate and more traditional for presention
(typical for seafood stews/soups, shellfish-pasta dishes). For some
dishes like mayo, salad dressing, and garlic toast a fine paste made
with salt by kneading with the tip of a knife works well. With many
dishes dehydrated garlic (powdered/granulated) is more appropriate
(sausages, flavoring large cuts like steaks/roasts, incorporated into
ground meat like burgers and meat loaf, pizza). I don't grind raw
garlic into meat loaf, tried it, it won't disburse no matter how well
mixed, and raw garlic won't cook in ground meat mixtures until well
overcooked. I can't think of any reason to own a garlic press, not
unless one has a strong urge for some needless reason to wash
redolent/stinky stuff (afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder),
effort best put to swabbing their terlit.

Kalmia wrote:
> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

I've noticed a difference in taste between methods. I tend to press/crush
with the side of a Chinese cleaver but it really depends on what I'm making
and how strong I want the garlic taste as to press or dice. I just can't
deal with the taste of garlic cut by a food processor as it seems to get
bitter to me.

--

Joe Cilinceon

Kalmia wrote:
> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

Lydia Bastiannicchi (sp?) of Lydia's Kitchen t.v. fame claims not to
like garlic, odd for an Italian cook i thought, but she just barely
crushes a clove of garlic and then sets it to simmer in oil or whatever
she is adding it to and removes it shortly there after.

I, on the other hand love garlic and use it copiously and routinely.
However, i do agree that in the case of garlic less is more.

I used to routinely put in 6 - 8 cloves of crushed garlic in just about
anything i made, one day i had only one garlic clove left, i forget what
i was making with it, but the less garlic than what i would normally
have used produced a bigger, better garlic flavor than the half dozen or
more cloves i would have used had i had them.

Now a days i tend to use less garlic and at the last few minutes of
cooking, for a more robust garlic flavor.

One exception is a roasted chicken i make where i will take the time to
peel 100 or so garlic cloves and stuff the chicken with them.

Roast the chicken and then remove the roasted garlic from the chicken
for other uses.

I used to braise the garlic cloves in a thin layer of chicken stock, in
the oven till done and caramelized. But stuffing the chicken with them
is easier.

My morning toast is a slice of sourdough or white rye, toasted, rubbed
with a cut clove of garlic then buttered.

I dislike anything tediously boringly repetitious in the kitchen so i
primarily use a garlic press and don't mince or chop.

One exception are slivers of garlic in a piece of meat, be it steak or
chicken i make a number of small incisions with a sharp knife and insert
slivers of garlic in the meat and then cook it.

When i sautŽ shrimp and chicken i like to use garlic slices, nice wide
slices of garlic to sautŽ with the shrimp and cut up chicken breast meat.

I have sometimes thought of making the garlic equivalent of eshalots
frite.

I do like a nice bit of caramelized garlic, i can get the caramelized
shallots (eshallots frites) at a local asian market, a Vietnamese
product (made in the USA) that is very nice to sprinkle on salads or as
a garnish for soups.

I have thought of slicing up a bunch of garlic, frying in hot oil till
nicely browned and then draining and reserving for other uses.
Reserving the oil as well. Its just one of those tediously, boringly
repetitive tasks i really dislike.

When i make batter dipped & fried eggplant, zucchini or mushroom i like
to add several cloves of crushed garlic to the batter.

Same with corn bread.
--

Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.
Let the games begin!
http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3

"Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Kalmia wrote:
>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
>> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
>> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
>> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
>> cloves.
>>
>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
> Lydia Bastiannicchi (sp?) of Lydia's Kitchen t.v. fame claims not to like
> garlic, odd for an Italian cook i thought, but she just barely crushes a
> clove of garlic and then sets it to simmer in oil or whatever she is
> adding it to and removes it shortly there after.
>
> I, on the other hand love garlic and use it copiously and routinely.
> However, i do agree that in the case of garlic less is more.
>
> I used to routinely put in 6 - 8 cloves of crushed garlic in just about
> anything i made, one day i had only one garlic clove left, i forget what i
> was making with it, but the less garlic than what i would normally have
> used produced a bigger, better garlic flavor than the half dozen or more
> cloves i would have used had i had them.
>
> Now a days i tend to use less garlic and at the last few minutes of
> cooking, for a more robust garlic flavor.
>
> One exception is a roasted chicken i make where i will take the time to
> peel 100 or so garlic cloves and stuff the chicken with them.
>
> Roast the chicken and then remove the roasted garlic from the chicken for
> other uses.
>
> I used to braise the garlic cloves in a thin layer of chicken stock, in
> the oven till done and caramelized. But stuffing the chicken with them is
> easier.
>
> My morning toast is a slice of sourdough or white rye, toasted, rubbed
> with a cut clove of garlic then buttered.
>
> I dislike anything tediously boringly repetitious in the kitchen so i
> primarily use a garlic press and don't mince or chop.
>
> One exception are slivers of garlic in a piece of meat, be it steak or
> chicken i make a number of small incisions with a sharp knife and insert
> slivers of garlic in the meat and then cook it.
>
> When i sautZ shrimp and chicken i like to use garlic slices, nice wide
> slices of garlic to sautZ with the shrimp and cut up chicken breast meat.
>
> I have sometimes thought of making the garlic equivalent of eshalots
> frite.
>
> I do like a nice bit of caramelized garlic, i can get the caramelized
> shallots (eshallots frites) at a local asian market, a Vietnamese product
> (made in the USA) that is very nice to sprinkle on salads or as a garnish
> for soups.
>
> I have thought of slicing up a bunch of garlic, frying in hot oil till
> nicely browned and then draining and reserving for other uses. Reserving
> the oil as well. Its just one of those tediously, boringly repetitive
> tasks i really dislike.
>
> When i make batter dipped & fried eggplant, zucchini or mushroom i like
> to add several cloves of crushed garlic to the batter.
>
> Same with corn bread.
> --
>
> Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.
>
> Domine, dirige nos.
> Let the games begin!
> http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3
>

I like to roast a head or two of garlic with just a bit of olive oil and
into the oven. I take it out, remove it from the skin, mash it with a fork
and add it to un salted butter. Blend it together good then roll it in wax
paper and back into the ice box. This is really great on steaks, sea food or
even mixed in mashed potatoes etc. Always have a couple of herb butters on
hand as well as home made ghee (clarified butter).

Joe Cilinceon

Kalmia > wrote:

> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.

Here is what Harold McGee says <http://www.chow.com/stories/10049>.

Victor

The strong aroma and pungency of raw garlic is created when the garlic
tissue is cut or crushed. The physical damage releases enzymes that act
on certain sulfur-containing chemicals and transform them into a host of
flavorful molecules, which then go on to react with each other and with
other molecules in the vicinity, especially oxygen. The exact mix of
molecules, and so the overall flavor, depends on how the garlic is
handled. Crushing breaks many cells at once; chopping with a knife
breaks fewer cells and develops less flavor. A food processor slices
through the tissue thousands of times, exposes more cells to the air,
and often produces the harshest results.

"Joe Cilinceon" > wrote in message
...
> I've noticed a difference in taste between methods. I tend to press/crush
> with the side of a Chinese cleaver but it really depends on what I'm
> making and how strong I want the garlic taste as to press or dice. I just
> can't deal with the taste of garlic cut by a food processor as it seems to
> get bitter to me.

Overcooking is what makes garlic taste bitter.

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:14:28 -0500, "Cheryl" >
wrote:

>
>"Joe Cilinceon" > wrote in message
...
>> I've noticed a difference in taste between methods. I tend to press/crush
>> with the side of a Chinese cleaver but it really depends on what I'm
>> making and how strong I want the garlic taste as to press or dice. I just
>> can't deal with the taste of garlic cut by a food processor as it seems to
>> get bitter to me.
>
>Overcooking is what makes garlic taste bitter.

I think he means that the food processor gets bitter.

"Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." > wrote in message
>
> Lydia Bastiannicchi (sp?) of Lydia's Kitchen t.v. fame claims not to like
> garlic, odd for an Italian cook i thought, but she just barely crushes a
> clove of garlic and then sets it to simmer in oil or whatever she is
> adding it to and removes it shortly there after.
>
> I, on the other hand love garlic and use it copiously and routinely.
> However, i do agree that in the case of garlic less is more.

Many old world Italian cooks don't use garlic like most of the US born
Italians . . It is often used to flavor a dish and then removed. They will
smash a clove, put it in the sauce and take the clove out before serving.
Big differences between northern and southern styles too.

Americans often think Italian cooking means dousing with tomato sauce loaded
with garlic.

On Nov 13, 11:58*am, "cybercat" > wrote:
> "Kalmia" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> > effect if put thru a press rather *than being minced. *Something about
> > molecular breakdown..... *All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> > in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> > cloves.
>
> > Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
> flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice. I love
> garlic, and want as much of the flavor and health benefits I can get from
> it. I don't see the point of using it at all if you don't want the full
> flavor.

I love mine. I use it on chiles too. If you rinse the press right
away, it isn't hard to clean.

Not everyone wants every item to be overwhelmingly garlicked. I make
chip dip with cream cheese, cream or half&half, pressed garlic and
salt. I press the garlic into the warmed cream and let it infuse a
bit before combining with the cream cheese.

--Bryan

Cheryl wrote:
> "Joe Cilinceon" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I've noticed a difference in taste between methods. I tend to
>> press/crush with the side of a Chinese cleaver but it really depends
>> on what I'm making and how strong I want the garlic taste as to
>> press or dice. I just can't deal with the taste of garlic cut by a
>> food processor as it seems to get bitter to me.
>
> Overcooking is what makes garlic taste bitter.

I agree over cooking can also make garlic bitter. I was talking about garlic
going into an uncooked salad dressing such as a vinaigrette.

--

Joe Cilinceon

In article
>,
Kalmia > wrote:

> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
> cloves.
>
> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?

I think it depends on the dish. I usually press garlic but other times
I slice it very thin, or course mince. Depends on the effect I want.

Sometimes I use granulated garlic for the same reasons, or if I'm in a
hurry (or just being lazy <g>).
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
"Jean B." > wrote:

> On the other hand, sometimes, you don't want visible hunks of
> garlic.
>
> --
> Jean B.

Sometimes you do. :-)
I have made sauce with thinly sliced cloves. It has it's own visual and
flavor appeal.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

Omelet > wrote in newsmpomelet-
:

> In article
> >,
> Kalmia > wrote:
>
>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a different
>> effect if put thru a press rather than being minced. Something about
>> molecular breakdown..... All I know is....I don't like pressed garlic
>> in certain dishes and have noted some recipes to be sure to mince the
>> cloves.
>>
>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
> I think it depends on the dish. I usually press garlic but other
times
> I slice it very thin, or course mince. Depends on the effect I want.
>
> Sometimes I use granulated garlic for the same reasons, or if I'm in a
> hurry (or just being lazy <g>).


Once I got a jar of minced garlic in oil from the supermarket. The
littlest amount made me break out with acne.

If I minced my own or garlic pressed some, no trouble.

I once walked into the face of a Home Depot employee who had the worst
garlic breath, first thing in the morning. I actually stepped backwards.
I've been known to ooze garlic out of my skin so I wasn't extremely
offended.

Nowadays, I get along fine with garlic powder, not garlic salt. I don't
use it often enough to keep a bulb around.

Best,

Andy

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:27:10 -0500, James Silverton wrote:

> cybercat wrote on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500:
>
>> "Kalmia" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Princeton graduate once explained why garlic produced a
>>> different effect if put thru a press rather than being
>>> minced. Something about molecular breakdown..... All I know
>>> is....I don't like pressed garlic in certain dishes and have noted
>>> some recipes to be sure to mince the cloves.
>>>
>>> Any thoughts or experiences, cooks?
>
>>I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use
>>the flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice. I
>>love garlic, and want as much of the flavor and health benefits I can
>>get from it. I don't see the point of using it at all if you don't want
>>the full flavor.
>
> My thoughts entirely! I messed (and is that the word!) around with
> garlic presses until I saw Julia Child's demonstration of using a heavy
> chef's knife.

i usually end up using minced garlic whenever crushed, sliced, or
what-have-you is called for, too.

i should try roasting some, though.

your pal,
blake

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:46:21 -0600, Sqwertz wrote:

> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:06:07 -0800 (PST), bulka wrote:
>
>> On Nov 13, 1:36 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
>>>> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
>>>> flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice.
>>>
>>> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it with the
>>> knife? You're going to chop it with the knife anyway...
>>
>> Yes. Smash with the knife and the skin comes off. Mince. If salt is
>> going into the Rx, work it in now , on the board with the knife, and
>> the granules mash up the garlic pretty good.
>
> That's how I do it. Crack it once to get the skin off, then press
> it with the knife, adding [kosher] salt then working it into a paste
> with the blade of the knife.
>
> -sw

ooh, forgot about paste. i usually use the mortar and pestle for that,
though.

your pal,
blake

blake wrote on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:37:40 -0500:

>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:06:07 -0800 (PST), bulka wrote:
>>
>>> On Nov 13, 1:36 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
>>>>> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to
>>>>> clean? I use the flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet
>>>>> to smash, then I dice.
>>>>
>>>> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it
>>>> with the knife? You're going to chop it with the knife
>>>> anyway...
>>>
>>> Yes. Smash with the knife and the skin comes off. Mince.
>>> If salt is going into the Rx, work it in now , on the board
>>> with the knife, and the granules mash up the garlic pretty
>>> good.
>>
>> That's how I do it. Crack it once to get the skin off, then
>> press it with the knife, adding [kosher] salt then working it
>> into a paste with the blade of the knife.
>>
>> -sw

> ooh, forgot about paste. i usually use the mortar and pestle
> for that, though.

If you roast a head of garlic until the cloves are soft, you can get the
pulp out by squeezing the cloves.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James wrote to blake murphy on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:39:41 -0500:

>>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:06:07 -0800 (PST), bulka wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Nov 13, 1:36 pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>>>>> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
>>>>>> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to
>>>>>> clean? I use the flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet
>>>>>> to smash, then I dice.
>>>>>
>>>>> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it
>>>>> with the knife? You're going to chop it with the knife
>>>>> anyway...
>>>>
>>>> Yes. Smash with the knife and the skin comes off. Mince.
>>>> If salt is going into the Rx, work it in now , on the board
>>>> with the knife, and the granules mash up the garlic pretty
>>>> good.
>>>
>>> That's how I do it. Crack it once to get the skin off, then
>>> press it with the knife, adding [kosher] salt then working
>>> it into a paste with the blade of the knife.
>>>
>>> -sw

>> ooh, forgot about paste. i usually use the mortar and pestle
>> for that, though.

> If you roast a head of garlic until the cloves are soft, you
> can get the pulp out by squeezing the cloves.

May I just add that, among other things, the roasted garlic can be eaten
on bread or made into a sandwich. Roasting garlic takes about 45 minutes
to an hour at 350F.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

>
>> If you roast a head of garlic until the cloves are soft, you
>> can get the pulp out by squeezing the cloves.
>
> May I just add that, among other things, the roasted garlic can be eaten
> on bread or made into a sandwich. Roasting garlic takes about 45 minutes
> to an hour at 350F.



Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When raw
and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of it is
downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and equally nasty.

Dave Smith wrote:
> Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
> taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When
> raw and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of
> it is downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and
> equally nasty.


Many people are unaware of that, I am glad you explained it.

Whenever I use garlic, most of the time I am also using an onion. I use
the mini food processor to chop the onion, then I will chop the garlic.
The last time I put garlic in the food processor, I chopped up much more
than I needed. Ooops... I kept the garlic that I did not use and I
refrigerated it. I used it within 3-4 days and it was fine. I used the
rest of it last night in King Ranch Chicken.


Becca

Dave Smith wrote:
> James Silverton wrote:
>
>>
>>> If you roast a head of garlic until the cloves are soft, you
>>> can get the pulp out by squeezing the cloves.
>>
>> May I just add that, among other things, the roasted garlic can be
>> eaten on bread or made into a sandwich. Roasting garlic takes about 45
>> minutes to an hour at 350F.
>
>
>
> Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
> taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When raw
> and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of it is
> downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and equally nasty.
>
I guess all of the roasted garlic I have had has been overcooked
then, because it has been bitter. Thus, I have not been inspired
to try it myself--or to consume it except as an occasional
reminder that it is, indeed, bitter.

--
Jean B.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:04:16 -0600, Becca > wrote:

>I used the rest of it last night in King Ranch Chicken.

mmm. I haven't made that in ages, but have been thinking about it.
Must do it soon.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Jean B. wrote:
>> Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
>> taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When
>> raw and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of
>> it is downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and
>> equally nasty.
>>
> I guess all of the roasted garlic I have had has been overcooked then,
> because it has been bitter. Thus, I have not been inspired to try it
> myself--or to consume it except as an occasional reminder that it is,
> indeed, bitter.
>

Sounds like you had a bad garlic experience. I am sure that was
disappointing. :-( Last night, we roasted some garlic, because we were
cooking baked potatoes, it was easy to cook both at the same time. The
garlic came out wonderfully well. I mashed up several cloves with my
fork and I added them to my baked potato, along with butter, s&p. If
you try roasted garlic again, I hope it comes out better.


Becca

Jean B. wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:
>
>>
>> Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
>> taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When
>> raw and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of
>> it is downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and
>> equally nasty.
>>
> I guess all of the roasted garlic I have had has been overcooked then,
> because it has been bitter. Thus, I have not been inspired to try it
> myself--or to consume it except as an occasional reminder that it is,
> indeed, bitter.



I was thinking more of fried garlic. I often add it to stir fries and
have time things to get the garlic cooked without turning black. I
sometimes gently fry a lot of coarsely chopped garlic with shrimp or
pasta. Ideally, it should be golden brown and will have a much gentler
flavour than raw, but again, you don't want it burnt. I don't know about
over roasted garlic. Roasting is usually a more forgiving cooking method
and my limited experience with roasted garlic is that is loses the
really sharp flavour and develops more of a rich, butter taste and
texture. When properly roasted you should be able to spread it on bread.

Becca wrote:
> Sounds like you had a bad garlic experience. I am sure that was
> disappointing. :-( Last night, we roasted some garlic, because we were
> cooking baked potatoes, it was easy to cook both at the same time. The
> garlic came out wonderfully well. I mashed up several cloves with my
> fork and I added them to my baked potato, along with butter, s&p. If
> you try roasted garlic again, I hope it comes out better.
> Becca
>

It wasn't a single experience. I have tried roasted garlic over
the years, and it has always seemed bitter to me. Maybe, in
addition to overcooking, I am more sensitive to that, since I
don't like bitter food.

--
Jean B.

Dave Smith wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>> Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Garlic is a curious thing. When it is roasted it has a mild buttery
>>> taste. When sauteed until golden brown it is mellow and tasty. When
>>> raw and in same amounts, it can add a subtle nuance, but too much of
>>> it is downright nasty, and when overcooked it can be bitter and
>>> equally nasty.
>>>
>> I guess all of the roasted garlic I have had has been overcooked then,
>> because it has been bitter. Thus, I have not been inspired to try it
>> myself--or to consume it except as an occasional reminder that it is,
>> indeed, bitter.
>
>
>
> I was thinking more of fried garlic. I often add it to stir fries and
> have time things to get the garlic cooked without turning black. I
> sometimes gently fry a lot of coarsely chopped garlic with shrimp or
> pasta. Ideally, it should be golden brown and will have a much gentler
> flavour than raw, but again, you don't want it burnt. I don't know about
> over roasted garlic. Roasting is usually a more forgiving cooking method
> and my limited experience with roasted garlic is that is loses the
> really sharp flavour and develops more of a rich, butter taste and
> texture. When properly roasted you should be able to spread it on bread.

Now this brings up something odd--and that is that I have eaten
fried garlic and don't generally find that bitter.

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." > wrote in news:7mahssF3hgmloU4
@mid.individual.net:

> Becca wrote:
>> Sounds like you had a bad garlic experience. I am sure that was
>> disappointing. :-( Last night, we roasted some garlic, because we
were
>> cooking baked potatoes, it was easy to cook both at the same time.
The
>> garlic came out wonderfully well. I mashed up several cloves with my
>> fork and I added them to my baked potato, along with butter, s&p. If
>> you try roasted garlic again, I hope it comes out better.
>> Becca
>>
>
> It wasn't a single experience. I have tried roasted garlic over
> the years, and it has always seemed bitter to me. Maybe, in
> addition to overcooking, I am more sensitive to that, since I
> don't like bitter food.


I roasted garlic. Two bulbs, trimmed and dipped in olive oil, baked for
about an hour. squeezed them onto toasted and buttered Italian bread.
Went to the hospital at around 3am the next morning with a painfully
swollen belly.

After x-rays and stuff, doc peeks through the emergency room curtain and
says "you have pancreatitis." I asked so can I go home? "NO!!!"

I sat in a hospital bed with non-stop IV sodium chloride for a week with
a one-a-day bag of potassium chloride. They let me sip and spit water
after a few days to keep my mouth from dehydrating. I've never roasted
garlic again.

Andy

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:57 -0500, cybercat wrote:
>
>> I can't stand garlic presses, why have one more thing to clean? I use the
>> flat side of my heavy tenderizing mallet to smash, then I dice.
>
> Why even dirty up the mallet when you could just smash it with the
> knife? You're going to chop it with the knife anyway...
>
> -sw

My hands hurt too much to smash it with a knife any longer. I can no longer
use a garlic press. I just smash it with my mallet and then cut with the
knife. It's different points on the thumb and base of the thumb that are
painful so I've found a work around.
Janet

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:35:16 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>It wasn't a single experience. I have tried roasted garlic over
>the years, and it has always seemed bitter to me. Maybe, in
>addition to overcooking, I am more sensitive to that, since I
>don't like bitter food.

I'm curious how you ate it.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:11:52 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>When properly roasted you should be able to spread it on bread.

Yes, but who wants to eat plain toasted garlic when you can have it
with a nice brie?

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Jean B. wrote:

>> I was thinking more of fried garlic. I often add it to stir fries and
>> have time things to get the garlic cooked without turning black. I
>> sometimes gently fry a lot of coarsely chopped garlic with shrimp or
>> pasta. Ideally, it should be golden brown and will have a much gentler
>> flavour than raw, but again, you don't want it burnt. I don't know
>> about over roasted garlic. Roasting is usually a more forgiving
>> cooking method and my limited experience with roasted garlic is that
>> is loses the really sharp flavour and develops more of a rich, butter
>> taste and texture. When properly roasted you should be able to spread
>> it on bread.
>
> Now this brings up something odd--and that is that I have eaten fried
> garlic and don't generally find that bitter.

Garlic fried gently until it is golden brown is quite tasty. Chop it
fine and cook it a little too long on high heat until it turns black and
it will be bitter.