how do you know when garlic's gone bad?

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can it go bad? there was a green sprout in the middle so i just cut around it and it seemed okay. ?_?

― jergins (jergins), Monday, 12 February 2007 15:11 (seventeen years ago) link

The white part of the clove will get brown and nasty sometimes, or really dessicated - shrivelled and dark yellow. The sprout can be a little bitter, but they are also okay to eat.

― jaq (jaq), Monday, 12 February 2007 15:27 (seventeen years ago) link

I think the sprouts in the middle cause some people mild tummy aches, although if I remember correctly that's less of a problem if it's well cooked.

― Casuistry (casuistry), Monday, 12 February 2007 16:48 (seventeen years ago) link

I remember Battali saying once that when he had a bunch of sprouted garlic, they would do a one-off dish of sauteed sprouts. Imagine the prep time in picking the sprouts out of that much garlene*.

*garlene = Justin Wilson pronunciation. I miss that dude.

― The PEW Research Center for Panty-Twisting (Rock Hardy), Monday, 12 February 2007 17:46 (seventeen years ago) link

Justin Wilson

He nailed me with a big ole kiss at a trade show once, after I told him how much I enjoyed his show! Scared the crap outta me!

AND AND AND!!! (the Battali connection and also garlic) - I finally got to eat at Salumi on Friday! Mario Battali's dad's cured meat and provolone decadence, slathered with chopped garlic on one side the bread and pesto on the other!

― jaq (jaq), Monday, 12 February 2007 18:01 (seventeen years ago) link

I need to try that again next time I'm there, but my sandwich had two big problems last time: the bread (hard as a rock) and the peppers/onions (waterlogged and bitter). I think I'll try the gnocchi next time if it's available.

― The PEW Research Center for Panty-Twisting (Rock Hardy), Monday, 12 February 2007 18:13 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.aromacookery.com/aromacookery/2004/11/recipe_sauteed_.html

For when your sprouts are REALLY out of control.

― jaq (jaq), Monday, 12 February 2007 18:17 (seventeen years ago) link

thanks for the info, friends.

i'm cooking a lot now (a man, alone, first time in years) so this is but the first of many basic cooking questions i'm sure you'll get in coming months.

― the people's prince (jergins), Monday, 12 February 2007 19:22 (seventeen years ago) link

see i said 'basic cooking questions' instead of 'dumb cooking questions' aren't you proud of my self-esteem?

― the people's prince (jergins), Monday, 12 February 2007 19:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Never forget: cheese mold = ok; bread mold = not.

― jaq (jaq), Monday, 12 February 2007 20:35 (seventeen years ago) link

But all rules have exceptions! I had to toss out the solid-green mozzarella last night.

― The PEW Research Center for Panty-Twisting (Rock Hardy), Monday, 12 February 2007 21:07 (seventeen years ago) link

Ew.

― jaq (jaq), Monday, 12 February 2007 21:24 (seventeen years ago) link

jergins, what did you use the garlic for?

― lxy (lxy), Monday, 12 February 2007 22:13 (seventeen years ago) link

spaghetti with meat and butter and fresh tomatoes and garlic. i cooked the garlic and meat up together to make for a zesty garnishing! (i have no idea, i just threw it all in there, come what may. it was actually all way too greazy and gave me a headache. so, lesson learned. but at least it wasn't because of bad garlic)

― the people's prince (jergins), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 11:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I find that the fresher the garlic, the harder it is to peel. Of course, now I have one of these, all garlic is easy to peel. But it's a good general rule.
http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/ae/2e/pr-Cooking_Tools-CHEF_s_Garlic_Peeler-resized200.jpg

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 17:17 (seventeen years ago) link

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