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I've been wondering what size my elephant garlic cloves would turn out to be. they turned up at lunchtime, after being ordered from the Garlic Farm on Friday night, which is what I call good service. The size was most impressive; I hope I can grow them as large.

I agree they look very impressive ...

Derekthefox :D

Elephant garlic - Veg of the year 2005 for me.

Most of the garlic I grow now is elephant garlic, with only a small amount of tradition garlic. The elephant garlic is trouble free, and stores without loss for up to two years.

Yes realfood, that may be so, but the real garlic is just so ... and is considered to be so beneficial to health too ... I am growing both ...

Derekthefox :D

How long does a clove last you for?

I consume garlic at a phenomenal rate Robert, at least one head a week. I have not used enough elephant garlic to have a consumption rate, but with it being milder, I reckon at least as much. Mind you I only have 14 cloves planted, and at least 4 of those will be retained for seed ...
I have about 70 cloves of traditional garlic planted ...

Derekthefox :D

I acknowledge that elephant garlic has a milder taste - but it seems to pervade anything you cook with it more than real garlic.

How do you store yours Real Food? I don't think I dried mine off in the sun long enough and it's gone over...

I've resisted elephant garlic on the basis that garlic is garlic and I love it so who needs great big garlic? I didn't know that it is more resistant to disease. I must admit though, I do like my garlic strong. Like Derek I've got 70-80 cloves of traditional garlic planted.

To me it is another vegetable, that I believe I will love, so if variety is the spice of life ...

Derekthefox :D

I've planted around that quantity of 'normal' garlic; Solent Wight, which is supposed to be stroing and long-lasting, and Albigensian garlic, which I couldn't resist as it's apparently originally from Languedoc, and associated with the Cathars (so why is it named after a different bunch of heretics?). It's supposed to foster heresy and sedition, so a good dose of it would do any church good as far as I'm concerned! Inevitably, I couldn't resist it. Then I got a little elephant garlic, and some eschalotte grise. That should keep us going. I think we'd get through a head a week if we cooked every day, but the truth is that we haven't got the energy. I'm a secondary school teacher and my wife is a mental health social worker; these are supposed to be the two most stressful jobs out. It may well be true.

I sympathise with your plight Robert ...

Derekthefox :D

This year I experimented and pickled some Elephant Garlic and it is absolutely amazing...can't get enough of it. Great as a nibble with a pint of Real Ale and a chunk of Extra Mature Cheddar and some Crusty bread ;D

excellent Dingerbell, I adore normal pickled garlic, I have never had elephant garlic pickled, but would expect it to be superb ... I presume you don't have many friends then ...  ;D

Derekthefox :D

I lived in the Middle East for 11 years and got used to eating Huge amounts of Garlic ...can't get enough of the stuff. Who needs friends when you've got a Cheese and pickled Garlic Buttie ;D

I have a litre size jar of pickled garlic at work, when I am feeling a little drained, I just pop a couple, and I am buzzing in no time - and it's legal !!!  ;D

Derekthefox :D

I do not have any special treatment for storing my elephant garlic. I lift it, dry it off protected from rain for a couple of months, and then bring it in to store in a dry frost free place.
However, I have some old ones, just dumped under the bench in the greenhouse. They are still usable, and viable, although wrinkled, after two years! Quite amazing, though I do not recommend this treatment!! It is just an observation!

Thanks real food. A bit longer on the rotary drier for my cloves next year, I think.

Robert Brenchley wrote that: Albigensian garlic, which I couldn't resist as it's apparently originally from Languedoc, and associated with the Cathars (so why is it named after a different bunch of heretics?). It's supposed to foster heresy and sedition, so a good dose of it would do any church good as far as I'm concerned! Inevitably, I couldn't resist it.

Ho Ho. Me neither (see www.savetheplot.co.uk for why). Where did you get it? Mine is French, but without such a heritage! Think we got it from Julia's mum when she came home from french holiday

I got mine from the Garlic Farm. It may be hype, I don't know (I'm puzzled that it should have been used by one lot of heretics, and yet be named after another), but since I'm a theological liberal, and have occasionally had people calling me a 'heretic' and insisting that I was 'going to hell' it was irresistable. A good dose of heresy (or maybe honesty, since very few of these people have ever really looked at what 'orthodoxy' means!) would do most churches good as far as I'm concerned.