How To Buy Fresh Garlic At The Grocery
It may be the opposite of what you think.
Medically reviewed by Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RDN
When headed to the farmer's market or the produce section of your favorite supermarket, you probably rely on your senses to determine the best fruits and veggies for the taking. You'll give an apple a squeeze to determine if it's firm and not bruised. And you can see if the bunches of grapes have any squished up duds. But a true supermarket sleuth will rely on the old sniffer for the ultimate freshness test.
Getting lemons, better make sure they smell like lemons. Powerful fragrance is usually a perfect indicator of freshness or ripeness. But did you know that there is one item in the vegetable section where that is not true? As Cook's Illustrated explained, your bulb of garlic should not have a strong smell. Unlike other fruits and vegetables, the potency of the garlic does not indicate the best flavor, but rather could indicate poor quality.
Why You Should Avoid Smelly Garlic Bulbs
The reason for this is that the fragrance of the garlic is caused by the compound, allicin, and only appears once the cells have been damaged from cutting or being crushed. Garlic with a strong scent could mean that the bulbs were mishandled or damaged when they were transported to the store or sorted for storage. If you peel this garlic, you'll likely see bruises and blemishes on the cloves.
How To Pick The Freshest Garlic Bulbs
You already know to select garlic that doesn't have a strong smell, but what else should you look for? First off, visually examine the bulbs. Choose one that doesn't have sprouts growing from the bulb. Second, pick up a bulb and give it a gentle squeeze. A fresh bulb should be firm, without any squishy or hollow-feeling cloves.
Once you've found a fresh garlic bulb, make sure to store it properly when you get home. Keep it in a slightly cool, dark location and you can enjoy good garlic in your pasta dishes for months to come.
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