How to Tie Hard-Neck Garlic for Decorative Hanging

Welcome!  This article is all about how to plait (or tie) hard-neck garlic together for decorative hanging.  This keeps the garlic neat and dry so that it can be stored through the winter.

Step 1: Grow garlic.

If you found this post, chances are that you already know how to grow your own garlic. But in case I am making a false assumption, here is a link to a GREAT web page that explains how to grow garlic in northern climates:  Michigan Garlic Farm: How To Grow Garlic.  This is the page that I used to learn how to grow garlic. It is excellent.

I grew a few varieties of garlic in the garden this year including: elephant garlic (actually a form of leek), 'Music', 'Northern Jewel', 'Purple Italian' and 'German Mountain'.  They all grew well.  

Step 2: Harvesting.

Step 2:  Harvest garlic.

It is time to harvest garlic when most of the leaves have turned brown.  In Michigan, this is generally some time in July.  Harvest garlic by gently lifting it out of the ground with a spading fork or shovel.  Place the fork several inches from the base of the plant, dig down as far as you can, and gently lift up.  The garlic should pop up with the soil.  Try not to chop through the garlic with your shovel.  Also, do not pull it out by the stem without digging first, as this could damage the garlic.  It will not store as well if it is damaged.

Step 3: Curing the garlic.

Step 3:  Allow the garlic to cure.

Do NOT clean the garlic with water. Do NOT trim the leaves or the roots off yet. Gently remove the largest clumps of dirt from the cloves, but otherwise allow them to remain "dirty." Hang the garlic together with string in groups of 3-5, in a well ventilated area until the stems dry out completely.  You will know it is finished curing when the stems and leaves have turned 100% brown.  This generally takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks. This step is important because it allows the outer peel around the bulb to dry out and to protect the inner clove. It prevents the clove from rotting.

Step 4

Step 4: Clean up the garlic.

Do NOT clean the garlic with water.  Trim the stems so that about 6 inches (12 cm) of stem remain above the bulb.  Cut the roots short with a scissors, but do not cut into the bulb itself.  Dust off the outer coating of dirt gently with your fingers.  If you wish, you can remove the top-most layer of peel around the bulb, but do not remove all of the peel.  The more of the outer skin you leave on, the more protected the inner cloves will be.

Steps 7 & 8

Step 5: Arrange 6-12 bulbs according to size: largest to smallest.

Step 6: Cut a length of string about 3-4 ft long (1m).

Step 7: Tie a slip knot near the end of the string, and tighten it around the stem of the largest garlic clove. If you don't know how to tie a slip knot, watch this: Slip Knot Video.

Step 8:  Tie a second slip knot about 1 inch (2-3 cm) above the first knot.  Keeping the loop lose, pull it over the end of the stem of the 1st garlic clove.

Step 9: Looping in the 2nd garlic.

Step 9: Tightening string.

Step 9: Place the stem of a 2nd garlic clove (the 2nd largest in size) through the lose loop in the string.  Tighten the slip knot of the 2nd loop, and double knot it to hold it in place.

Steps 10 & 11: Loop around all the stems & tighten.

 Step 10: Make another slip knot about 1 inch (2cm) above the 2nd knot.  Place the loop around the stems of the 2 pieces of garlic in the bunch.

Step 11: Place the stem of the third garlic clove through the loop, next to the stems of the other two connected pieces of garlic.  Tighten the loop and double knot it to hold it in place.

Step 12: Stagger the positions of the garlic cloves in relation to each other.

Step 12: Continue adding garlic cloves in this same way until the are all used up.  Stagger the cloves as you add them so that each newly added clove is on the opposite side of the one previously added to the group. 

Step 12: Continue looping & knotting.

 Step 13:  When you have finished adding all of your garlic bulbs to the bunch, double knot the final knot.  Then, trim the garlic stems so that they are all even at the ends.

Steps 13 & 14: Cut the garlic stems so they are even.  Make a loop to hang the chain from.

Step 14:  Tie a loop at the end of the string from which to hang the garlic chain.





















Step: 15:  Hang the garlic in a cool dry place where you will be able to enjoy looking at it, and will remember to use it for cooking. 


              HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!!  :)

How to Grow and Preserve Horseradish

What is horseradish?

Horseradish is one of the easiest plants to grow, and is a delicious flavoring for sauces, marinades and burger patties.  According to wikipedia, "Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia) is a perennial plant of the Brassicaceae family (which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, and cabbage). The plant is probably native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. It is now popular around the world. It grows up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) tall, and is cultivated primarily for its large, white, tapered root." 

How to plant horseradish:

Horseradish is hardy in USDA zones 3-9.  It is a very tough plant and spreads vigorously via its root.  It is best planted in a pot in most garden situations. Simply place the root in the dirt about 1 -2 inches from the surface, laying lengthwise. Cover with dirt and water.  You can purchase a horseradish root from your local garden center, or online garden source

How to harvest horseradish:

If you have grown the horseradish in a pot, it is ready to harvest when the plant fills the pot or the pot is root-bound.  If you have planted the horseradish in the ground (not recommended!) you can dig it up about a year after planting.  Be sure to get every piece of root out of the ground, or it will regrow from the root scraps. 

Once you have un-potted or dug up the horseradish, you can pull it apart at the roots with a spading fork, or your hands. Then, rise off the roots with a strong blast of hose water.

If you wish, you can save a portion of the leaves and root to re-plant in the pot. (A bit like dividing and re-planting a perennial such as daylilies.)  Clean the rest of the roots thoroughly for use in the kitchen.

Cleaning the horseradish:

After you blast the horseradish root with the hose, use a sharp knife and/or pruners to trim the thin, hair-like roots from the main tap root.  Next, scrub the root with a scrubbing pad. Then, peel it with a potato peeler as you would a carrot. 

Preserving the horseradish:

Unfortunately, horseradish cannot be hot water canned or pressure canned.  This is because heat will destroy the allyl isothiocynate (mustard oil) chemical that gives the horseradish its flavor. Thus, canning would cause the horseradish to lose its spicy-heat and become bitter.

CAUTION: When preparing horseradish, please do so in a well ventilated area.  The root will not smell like much initially, but once it is cut, it emits a powerful mustard smell that will make your eyes burn! Onions have NOTHING on horseradish when it comes to making your cry!

Option 1: Simply cut the horseradish into slices, place it in a zip bag or plastic container and place it in the freezer.  It will last in the freezer for at least a year.

    

Option 2:  Make pickled horseradish "sauce".
      
 Ingredients:
1/2 lb cleaned horseradish,  2 cups vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt,  1 teaspoon sugar.

Directions:
1. Sterilize some glass canning jars and lids by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the horseradish root into pieces.
3.Place the horseradish into a food processor and mince it finely. (You could also
grate the horseradish, but please only do this in a well ventilated area while wearing goggles and gloves.)
4. Mix the vinegar, salt and sugar together.
5. Mix the vinegar solution together with the horseradish pieces.
6. Place the mixture into the sterilized glass jars and seal the lid tightly

The horseradish will keep for 6 months to a year in the refrigerator with this method.

You could also try freezing the horseradish this way, but be sure to leave enough space in the jar for the liquid to expand. Otherwise, the jar may break in your freezer.  The horseradish will keep for at least a year when frozen.

CAUTION:  As with any pickled, jarred, refrigerated or fresh food (whether you make it yourself or buy it in a store): if the food appears moldy, slimy, smells bad or "off", do NOT eat it.  Please use common sense and err on the side of caution.

 Cooking with horseradish:

Many recipes make use of horseradish.  Here are links to some:

Horseradish Mayonaise

Salmon with Horseradish Crust

Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream

Horseradish Burgers

Braised Lamb with Horseradish and Parsley

 Horseradish Mashed Potatoes (vegetarian)

Roasted Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms with Horseradish Sauce (vegan)



                     

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2015!!

Time to celebrate new beginnings! New hope! Old friends! To party and get our drink on!

We all have the hope for spring that comes with the new year, but many of us become impatient with waiting.  That's why so many of us Michiganders travel south to places like Florida this time of year. 

My husband and I did that very thing last year.  While there, my kind and generous cousins gifted us with some of their beautiful meyer lemons from the tree in their back yard.

 Meyer lemon trees nearly fall over with the weight of their own lemons this time of year in places like Florida and California.  Lemons can also be grown indoors in Michigan.  You can find dwarf lemon trees at garden centers such as Bordine's Nursery in the summer or order them online at sites such as Logee's.  Directions on how to care for an indoor lemon tree can be found here: How to Grow an Indoor Lemon Tree.

Once home, I transformed the lemons into marmalade, and also LIMONCELLO.  Limoncello is basically sweetened, lemon-flavored vodka.  It makes wonderful mixed drinks and is a perfect reminder of sunshine and clear skies during this gloomy time of year.

Limoncello will be my drink of choice this new year.

I am not going to pretend that I wrote the recipe for this classic drink.  Nor have I perfected it.  What I can tell you is that there is an excellent step-by-step recipe for it at America's Test Kitchen: LIMONCELLO RECIPE.   I can also tell you that the flavor seems to mellow and improve with time.  Further, it is excellent mixed with a bit of orange juice. Like a screwdriver with an extra burst of citrus sunshine.  You can view a list of mixed drink ideas using limoncello here:  Mixed Drinks with Limoncello.

I hope that you will consider trying or even making this fabulous drink this New Year 2015!

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