A Word About Garlic

Over the years I've gradually switched from using fresh garlic to nearly always using the pre-minced stuff that comes in jars. Foodie purists may sneer, but it tastes just as good to me.

However, over the years, so gradually that I didn't even notice it, some producers seem to have switched over to a weaker, less garlicky variety of garlic. Christopher Ranch in particular is now using a weaker garlic. Hence, 20 years ago when I first started using the pre-minced garlic, I was using 1/2 tsp of the pre-minced per clove of garlic called for in the recipe, whereas now the CR pre-minced states to use 2 tsps per clove, four times as much.

This was brought home to me when I purchased a jar of crushed garlic at Costco instead of from the grocery store, and suddenly it was MUCH STRONGER. Upon checking the label, I discovered that this garlic states that 1/2 tsp of the crushed garlic is equivalent to 1 clove of garlic.

As it was in the beginning ...

I don't buy my minced garlic at the grocery store anymore, needless to say. I much prefer the stronger variety. If you don't have a Costco membership, many ethnic grocery stores still carry the stronger varieties. An Indian grocery store would be a good source.

Just one more example of the ways we need to watch what we are buying! I didn't even notice the shift to the weaker variety, though I did keep wondering how I could ever have thought 1/2 tsp per clove was enough, LOL!