Garlic

Garlic is a pungent, papery-skinned bulb composed of tightly packed cloves. Raw cloves are sharp and sulfurous, while cooking mellows them to sweet, nutty aromas and a soft, creamy texture. Common uses include mincing for dressings and sauces, sauteing as an aromatic base, roasting whole, or slicing thin for stir-fries; it is sold as whole heads, loose cloves, or pre-peeled.

Domesticated in Central Asia, it spread through the Mediterranean and East Asia and became foundational in Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines. It is grown worldwide as a cool-season crop and typically cured before distribution to extend storage.