Garlic: A Little off the Top Goes a Long Way

A garlic clove is a powerful little piece of protoplasm to which few are indifferent. Some people are addicted to the pungent bulb, others flee in horror. Love affairs have been aborted by its scent, but more are launched by a cook's skill in harnessing it. A kitchen that smells of garlic says, "Make yourself at home."

Among garlic growers there are divisions as well. Some favor fall planting, for larger bulbs and an earlier harvest. Others opt for the more old-fashioned method of planting in spring, which produces longer keepers. It's possible, of course, to do both. Less easily resolved is the issue of whether or not to cut off the scapes that form before the plants mature.

A garlic scape is simply its flower stem, and in general, it is only produced by the traditional hardneck types as opposed to the modern domesticated softnecks. By the time a hardneck garlic plant's underground head of delicious cloves has matured, its stem is rather hard and topped with clusters of tiny bulbils, also called topsets. These are miniature garlics that can be sown to form new plants, but the common advice is to remove the scapes when they appear and let the plant put its energy into higher yields of garlic heads. On the other hand, research at the University of Minnesota has shown that if the soil is fertile enough, yields are little affected by leaving the scapes on, and the garlic may store better as well. I've also had good yields from this method. Besides, garlic scapes are beautiful to look at in the field, especially those rocambole types that curl round and round in clownish circles.

There is, however, one good reason to cut at least a few of your scapes early on. They make wonderful eating. Snap off a few while they are still green and succulent and try them. If I am planning to cut a scape into segments, I remove any tough part at the bottom, as well as the round bud and its long, pointed "whisker," which is tougher than the stem itself. I'll toss these tender segments into stir-fries, mixed vegetables, pasta dishes or anything to which I'd like to impart a fresh, green, mild garlicky flavor. They are transcendent with eggplant and roasted tomatoes.

You can also leave the scapes whole, just for the wonderful loopy, bulb-tipped shape. Grill or roast these eccentric coils, slathering them with olive oil and allowing them to caramelize yet still keep their bright green color and a bit of firmness. Then encircle a hearty, meat-laden platter with them, letting diners nibble, with their fingers, whatever parts they find tasty. For most, it will be a new discovery worthy of a "yes" vote, hands down.