I Just Learned Why Some Garlic Is Purple, And Now I'll Check Every Time

Purple garlicTurns out my spice drawer is brimming with surprising facts. For instance, mass-produced paprika is often (though not exclusively) made from bell peppers. Meanwhile, delicious allspice, which I’d always assumed was a mixture of star anise, nutmeg, and cloves, is actually made from one species of berry. Even chilli powder is rarely made from 100% dried and ground chilli peppers. But I never expected a similar mystery to unfold for my beloved garlic, which I figured was all more or less the same. Not so, experts say. Apparently, purple and white garlic have completely different flavours – yep, that slight lilac blush at the base of your bulb still counts. Why does purple garlic taste different to white garlic?According to Tasting Table, purple garlic is a “hardneck” species of the aromatic. Its colour, which only affects the papery layer affecting its cloves, comes about thanks to a natural antioxidant called anthocyanin.This is triggered when growing hardneck garlic varieties experience cold weather.White garlic, meanwhile, is a “softneck” variety. “Hardneck” species have a woody stem growing through the centre of the bulb, Allrecipes explains.The cloves of “hardneck” garlic, like purple garlic, all tend to be the same size because they all grew around the same centre. These larger cloves tend to be “juicier.” “Softneck” varieties, like white garlic, have softer stems that do not go all the way through the bulb.That means the cloves all have different sizes as the smaller ones huddle inside the larger outer groups. “Hardneck” or, in this case, purple garlic usually has a milder, sweeter flavour. Is white or purple garlic better for cooking?To be honest, Tasting Table admits, most of the time they’re interchangeable. But if you’re roasting garlic, whether on its own or with meat like chicken, sweeter purple varieties might be best. It is also favoured for Mediterranean cuisine and goes brilliantly in infused butters and oils; its less pungent nature makes purple garlic better-suited to being eaten raw, too.The more you know...Related...I Just Learned What Paprika Is Really Made From, And I Need To Lie DownI Just Learned What Chilli Powder Is Really Made From, And I Had No ClueI Just Learned What Allspice Is Actually Made Of, And I Feel Stupid

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