China grows 12 million tons of garlic. India grows 600,000 tons of garlic. The United States grows 200,000 tons of garlic. In our little garden plot, we grow 0.1 ton of garlic. May not seem like a lot of garlic in the global market, but we are doing our best to corner the garlic market in St. Louis! Besides, our garlic is fresh and juicy, not dry and bitter.

Our field of garlic is ready to harvest and the fresh garlic heads are now available for purchase at Kitchen Conservatory. If you have only tasted supermarket garlic, which is usually last year’s garlic grown in China, freshly-dug garlic is a revelation of flavor and juiciness. My favorite preparation is to slow-roast the peeled garlic in lots of olive oil, season with salt, and serve as a side vegetable. Several customers have told me that their mistake was not buying enough garlic last year! The garlic is available while supplies last; we usually run out by Labor Day.

Several upcoming cooking classes will feature our homegrown garlic. Don’t miss “Garlic Eat-Iquette” on July 8 and “Meet the Press: Garlic” on July 31. Register today.