In Pursuit of Garlic

In Pursuit of Garlic: An Intimate Look at the Divinely Odorous Bulb tells Liz Primeau's story of her love affair with garlic—which was ignited when her handsome teenaged boyfriend took her to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti served with heavenly garlic-laced meatballs, a sublime escape from the bland English dinners she was used to at home—and leads us on a tour of garlic's role in history, art, medicine, and science. Primeau invites us into her kitchen, where she begins every dinner hour with the pleasing ritual of chopping garlic, and shares the secret of the knife smack for removing garlic's tight jacket, as well as her favorite garlic-centered recipes. Primeau also discusses the many varieties of garlic and gives invaluable tips for growing your own. She visits garlic fairs, where she tries to track down France's elusive L'ail Rose, and she explores the issue of cheap Chinese garlic, which has invaded the North American market to the exclusion of local varieties.Packed with fascinating facts, practical advice about growing and cooking with garlic, and engaging stories about her personal experiences with garlic, In Pursuit of Garlic is a paean to this seductive, spellbinding, and delicious little vegetable.