Produce Briefs...
Fingerling Russian Banana Potatoes
Although very petit in size, fingerlings are fully mature when harvested, thus they should not to be confused with new potatoes, potatoes that are harvested when immature.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Grower
Seasons/Availability
Italian Purple garlic is harvested in the Summer.
Current Facts
Garlic has one of the largest genomes of all cultivated plants. Botanically named Allium Sativum, garlic is a member of the lily family along with chives, shallots and onions. Garlic is the common name dedicated to hundreds of varieties which can be classified as hardneck and softneck types. Of these types, softneck varieties are most commonly grown as they easier to grow, less particular about growing conditions, slower to bolt and generally produce more cloves per bulb. Italian Purple garlic is an heirloom Rocambole hardneck garlic. Rocambole garlics are considered a special but rare class of garlics. They are hard to grow outside of areas that do not experience true cold winters, they are generally fussy about their growing conditions and once harvested, they have a very short shelf-life, which is uncommon for most garlic.
Description/Taste
Italian Purple garlic can easily be distinguished from other garlics by its appearance. Its solid bulb is almost uniformly rounded and its thick layers of wrappers are streaked with variegations of violet purple. The bulb contains a thick central scape and about six to eight plump cream colored cloves in relatively easy-to-peel skin. The cloves are aromatic, spicy, rich and bold in flavor, which only increases with maturity. When eaten raw, a little bit goes a long way with Italian Purple garlic: Its flavor lingers for quite a while.
Nutritional Value
All varieties of garlic possess antibiotic properties to some forms of bacteria, viruses and intestinal parasites. Plants in the garlic family lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and may also be used a diuretic, an anti-inflammatory agent, an expectorant or a decongestant.
Applications
It is only when garlic cloves are cut or crushed, and the cellular walls breached, that an odor-causing reaction takes place, as enzymes mix with volatile sulfur-containing compounds. Crushing, chopping, pressing or pureeing garlic releases more of its essential oils and provides a sharper, more assertive flavor than slicing or leaving it whole.
Geography/History
All garlic cultivars are considered to be derived from ten specific varieties of garlic that evolved in the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Garlic has been altered over time by natural and intentional selection, ever changing growing conditions, such as soil fertility, rainfall, temperature, altitude, length and severity of winter and as trade routes were evolved and extended, garlic would become naturalized in often unnatural climates. Italian Purple is a rare Rocambole that was brought to the United States from northern Italy in the early 20th century. It has been grown throughout many garlic growing regions in the Northern United States. It is still considered a rare garlic with very limited commercial production. You will most likely find Italian Purple garlic at a farmers market.
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Seasons/Availability
Italian Purple garlic is harvested in the Summer.
Current Facts
Garlic has one of the largest genomes of all cultivated plants. Botanically named Allium Sativum, garlic is a member of the lily family along with chives, shallots and onions. Garlic is the common name dedicated to hundreds of varieties which can be classified as hardneck and softneck types. Of these types, softneck varieties are most commonly grown as they easier to grow, less particular about growing conditions, slower to bolt and generally produce more cloves per bulb. Italian Purple garlic is an heirloom Rocambole hardneck garlic. Rocambole garlics are considered a special but rare class of garlics. They are hard to grow outside of areas that do not experience true cold winters, they are generally fussy about their growing conditions and once harvested, they have a very short shelf-life, which is uncommon for most garlic.
Description/Taste
Italian Purple garlic can easily be distinguished from other garlics by its appearance. Its solid bulb is almost uniformly rounded and its thick layers of wrappers are streaked with variegations of violet purple. The bulb contains a thick central scape and about six to eight plump cream colored cloves in relatively easy-to-peel skin. The cloves are aromatic, spicy, rich and bold in flavor, which only increases with maturity. When eaten raw, a little bit goes a long way with Italian Purple garlic: Its flavor lingers for quite a while.
Nutritional Value
All varieties of garlic possess antibiotic properties to some forms of bacteria, viruses and intestinal parasites. Plants in the garlic family lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and may also be used a diuretic, an anti-inflammatory agent, an expectorant or a decongestant.
Applications
It is only when garlic cloves are cut or crushed, and the cellular walls breached, that an odor-causing reaction takes place, as enzymes mix with volatile sulfur-containing compounds. Crushing, chopping, pressing or pureeing garlic releases more of its essential oils and provides a sharper, more assertive flavor than slicing or leaving it whole.
Geography/History
All garlic cultivars are considered to be derived from ten specific varieties of garlic that evolved in the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Garlic has been altered over time by natural and intentional selection, ever changing growing conditions, such as soil fertility, rainfall, temperature, altitude, length and severity of winter and as trade routes were evolved and extended, garlic would become naturalized in often unnatural climates. Italian Purple is a rare Rocambole that was brought to the United States from northern Italy in the early 20th century. It has been grown throughout many garlic growing regions in the Northern United States. It is still considered a rare garlic with very limited commercial production. You will most likely find Italian Purple garlic at a farmers market.
