Garlic contains a substance called “Allicin“. Studies have shown that this substance can have beneficial effects on cancer, bacterial infections and in preventing blood clots. Research suggests that this substance is very fragile and if you want to benefit from it you should eat fresh garlic rather than bottles of chopped garlic.
The photo above shows the market in Aix en Provence. I’d never seen garlic for sale with such extensive roots! Apparently this is the freshest garlic you can find.
The garlic we use in cooking is “allium sativa”. There are a number of related garlic plants with different ones growing wild in different countries. The scent of wild garlic in a forest can be very powerful. Here’s some wild garlic I found by following my nose!
God/dess, but I LOVE garlic! Love it raw, I love it roasted – YUMMY!!
I’ve put up a link to the US restaurant, The Stinking Rose, right? I really, really want to eat there someday. Mmmmm, garlic!
http://www.thestinkingrose.com/