The Garlic Companion: Recipes, crafts, preservation techniques, and simple ways to grow your own, by Kristin Graves

Reviewed by Hannah Shafer

This book review comes to you from my living room couch, where I’m currently nestled in my coziest fleece, tea in hand, and the sweet-spicy aroma of garlic drifting from my kitchen. There’s a blanket of snow outside the window, and my eye keeps catching on the slightly raised mound where I know my garlic is tucked in tight until spring. My Garlic Companion is sitting next to me on the couch, and she is well-loved and dog-eared at this point. I’ve been reading this book in small sections for about a month, and I still find new tidbits each time I pick it up. Whether you farm, garden, or eat garlic – this book is bound to have something for you.

Author Kristin Graves is a garlic farmer and founder of Fifth Generation Farms in Alberta, Canada. She brings years of experience and expertise to this comprehensive book on all things garlic.

The Garlic Companion is divided into five sections: Know and Love, Cook and Eat, Make and Celebrate, Plant and Grow, and Harvest and Store. Each section is also divided into shorter vignettes, recipes, diagrams, and stunning pictures… Thus, it’s a great book to peruse as you please!

Know and Love is a well-rounded section dedicated to the history of garlic. You’ll learn its scientific name and cultural importance through folklore, social class dynamics, and traditional medicine. Then come photos and detailed descriptions of common garlic varieties. I am a hobby garlic grower of just three seasons, so I was excited to see some familiar cultivars I’ve grown at my home in Northern Vermont.

Cook and Eat is by far the most extensive (and my favorite) section, with over 35 recipes incorporating some form of garlic. Looking at the sheer number of garlic-based recipes compiled in this book, you, too, might be surprised by this plant’s versatility and ability to transcend seasons. There are recommendations for fresh garlic, roasted, scapes, powdered, black, and even the flowers. From spreads, seasonings, soups, stir-fries, and even desserts, this is your one-stop shop for all your year-round garlic recipe needs.

Make and Celebrate always causes my hands to twitch toward my crafting supplies. This section contains several craft ideas that look elaborate and beautiful enough to be wedding centerpieces yet doable for the average crafter with a garlic surplus. Maybe this year, I will finally try that garlic braid.

Plant and Grow was the first section I read as I started dreaming about my spring garden. If you have never grown garlic before, look no further; you will be gently guided through all of the baseline knowledge you need. If you have grown garlic successfully, the chapter starts slow. But keep reading, and you might learn something new. The recommended crop rotations, homemade organic pest repellent, and fertilizer frequency tips were all new and helpful to me.

Harvest and Store was the key to my dream of a yearlong, steady supply of garlic. This last section is essential, covering everything from proper bulb storage to seed selection for next season to dehydrating and freezing. It rounds out the garlic-growing process and brings readers full circle.

At the moment, I have a delicious Immune Booster Soup (p. 48) with ten hearty garlic cloves simmering away. When spring comes, I’m more prepared than ever to guide my baby garlic sprouts through a successful season of growth and to a healthy harvest. Perhaps your garlic has begun peeking through the earth. Perhaps you are getting ready to start your first crop in the fall. Or perhaps you are just a garlic enthusiast looking for more garlicky inspiration in your dishes. Wherever you are in your garlic journey, The Garlic Companion is a thoughtful, beautifully written technical guide that will serve you for many years to come.