Here's How To Make Sure That You Are Always Buying The Best Garlic

For people on the right side of history, garlic is as much of a kitchen staple as salt and pepper. And sure, you can buy it pre-minced in glass jars or crushed into a paste and neatly packaged in a squeezable plastic tube, but those who have tried it know that using fresh garlic is the way to go, even if it's more work. If you're going to prepare it yourself, though, you'll need to know how to pick the very best garlic from the store shelves.

When you cruise through your local grocery store searching for the perfect bulb, keep an eye out for these telltale signs of freshness. First, choose bulbs with the whitest skin. Fresh garlic shouldn't have a smell, so avoid anything with a pungent odor. If you give your garlic a gentle squeeze, it should remain firm in your hand with no softness or give. Fresh bulbs also have more heft since older garlic dries out and loses some weight. Finally, make sure the cloves are tightly packed together. If they're starting to loosen or spread out like a flower, the bulb is already past its prime. When you pick out the freshest garlic and store it in a cool, dark place, it'll last for months to come.

As with any well-loved ingredient, there is no end to the number of garlic-centric recipes you can find online or in cookbooks. There is also no end to the versatility of garlic itself. You can dice it, mince it, toss it in the air fryer, or shallow-fry it in your favorite oil. Roast it to make it soft and spreadable, or let it simmer to impart delicious flavors into any broth or stock that needs savory depth.

If you want to experience garlic flavor in all its delicious glory and you aren't worried about curling a few nose hairs, try ajo blanco. This cold spring soup uses so much garlic that many recipes include warnings about seasonal harvest differences in flavor intensity. For those wanting something more familiar, classic garlic bread recipes deliver a dose of butter-cradled nostalgia and serve as the ideal companion for pasta, soups, or salads. Or you can go bold and try some unexpected garlic combinations, using the potent plant in martini garnishes, chocolate cake, or even tea. And with a prime pick of garlic at your disposal, you'll knock each and every recipe out of the park.