Anxiously awaiting the coils to form on top of the carefully planted garlic. That's what I do each spring as I watch the waking garlic shoot up. I patiently wait and wonder, "When will I begin to see those amazing coilies?" Well, they are here!! Just in time for 4th of July. What was planted last October, sat quietly under a thick blanket of straw and snow, and then slowly began their climb to the sun. The garlic scape appeared almost as if to give thanks to the long awaited heat of the summer.
For the past, oh I don't know, 15 years or more I have ordered garlic bulbs in the fall, planted them in October (perfect timing when you think about protection from all the vampires!), watched them grow through the following spring, then harvest them in the dead of summer. But last year I tried something different. I saved my biggest and best bulbs from that summer's harvest and planted them in the fall. Now I am watching this second generation of mine develop the long awaited scape. It feels just a bit more special to me this year. Kind of like my own grandkids!
What to do with garlic scapes? To be honest I've only ever made pesto out of them. Because I love it so. I love to freeze it in tablespoon fulls on a cookie sheet and then pop them into freezer bags. I use them all winter long in soups, over fish, on pasta... But this year after I have my share of fresh scape pesto and before I begin my freezing I'm going to add some to my humus. Why not!? Rather than add garlic bulbs I'm going to add scapes.
I hope you are able to grow or find garlic scapes at your local farmers market. They are so worth the try.
Here's a recipe from a cooking blog I enjoy to help you enjoy your scapes!
http://www.doriegreenspan.com/2009/06/i-seem-to-be-on.html
Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment