Garlic’s Annual E-Scape
Business News: Top contributor in many kitchens considers a career change.
Written By: Laura DeFeo
If many kitchens gave out annual performance awards, garlic would almost certainly be a contender for Employee of the Year. Few ingredients can match its versatility, appearing in cuisines from around the world and elevating nearly every dish it touches. From soups to sauces and stir-fries to roasts, garlic has earned its reputation as one of the most industrious members of the culinary workforce.
Before reporting for duty in kitchens across the globe, garlic’s strategic development plan is, necessarily, no less demanding. Beginning as an entry-level clove in the fall, garlic survives a rigorous winter training program and spends spring steadily investing its energy into building a robust underground bulb asset. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that every June even this most diligent worker begins to yearn for a vacation. In fact, once a year most garlic bulbs don’t even mind spending a little of their hard-earned reserves to escape from their subterranean posts in order to catch a glimpse of what life outside the soil might have to offer.
It’s at this time that the plant invests some of its energy to send a stalk, known as a garlic scape, on a trip to the surface. Its above-ground destination has many amenities - ample sunshine, warm breezes, panoramic views of the rest of the garden. The warmer temperatures and sunlight, coupled perhaps with the enticing luxury of a bustling social scene filled with pollinators, is enough to convince even the most dedicated garlic plant that becoming a flower might be a promising new career path. The garlic’s scape even launches a small pilot project intended to demonstrate the viability of a permanent reassignment to floral production.
Nevertheless, management has other plans, and garlic’s request for a transfer to the Floral Division is ultimately denied. To produce the largest and most flavorful garlic bulbs, farmers typically harvest scapes about 1-3 weeks after they appear, redirecting the plant's energy back to its underground role. Garlic’s open-air retreat is well-earned, but shareholders have invested heavily in bulb production and are understandably concerned about full mission drift into the floral sector.
Fortunately for us, garlic scapes bring plenty of their own talents to the table. Their flavor is unmistakably garlicky, but milder and fresher than mature garlic cloves, making them excellent for employment in, for example, pesto, stir-fries, grilled dishes, soups, and compound butters. (See this collection of garlic scape recipes from Heartbeet Kitchen.)
We're grateful for garlic's adventurous spirit, and while we're not ready to invest in a garlic flower garden, we're delighted to celebrate and share with you this indispensable ingredient in not just one, but two delicious forms. While we often think of garlic in terms of bulbs and cloves, scapes provide a fresh take on a classic favorite and make a wonderful addition to the team!
