Question for 6/17/2018... Garlic scrapes...

[daylilydude]

Do you use your garlic scrapes? If so, how do you use them?

[guruofgardens]

I cut them into inch sized pieces to use in my winte soups.

[brownrexx]

I must be missing something because I could never see the attraction. I cut them off and compost them.

[ladymarmalade]

They make the BEST pesto!

Chop and put in the food processor with some olive oil, salt and pepper. As well as any other herb you have on hand and would like- I tend to leave it as is with just the scapes. Run for a minute or so, scrape the bowl around to make sure you've got it all mostly smooth, then add a handful of really good grated Parmesan. One more turn through the processor and it's done.

Best used on homemade egg noodles! But any pasta works. Also, it can be used as a marinade for chicken for grilling. Use some as the marinade, but hold back a little to brush on as a finishing sauce. So good@

[september]

I grew garlic for the first time last year, and my only experience was adding scape pieces to stir fries -- will do again!

[pepperhead212]

In a book I have on growing garlic, the author says that he did experiments on snipping off the flowers, and he says that when left on until the scape turns woody - well past the point at which scapes are harvested - the heads get larger, and store longer. For this reason, I don't harvest scapes, plus, like brownrexx, I'm not that crazy about them. I'm sure I could find some things I'd like if I used them; in fact, I have some now that I cut off of 10 diseased plants, on which the heads were not usable (good thing is, there are no ALM), and the scapes were the only thing green on them. I'll post some pics on garlic thread.

[aftermidnight]

I use in stir fry.

[spike]

Fried potatoes, soups, stews, in everything! My cousin pickles them.

[brownrexx]

I may have tried the scapes when they were too old but I was not impressed. I did not like the texture and the flavor was so-so.

For those of you who like the scapes - why do you like them? Why would you not just use a clove of garlic? Do you think that these taste different?

Honestly, I can not figure out what all the excitement is about.

[spike]

Jun 17, 2018 19:19:54 GMT -5 brownrexx said:

why do you like them?

I like the taste and it is the excitement of know that the fresh garlic will be in soon. By the time the scapes are ready to pick I have been out of fresh garlic for ages so they are a special treat for me.

[ladymarmalade]

Jun 17, 2018 19:26:30 GMT -5 spike said:

Jun 17, 2018 19:19:54 GMT -5 brownrexx said:

why do you like them?

I like the taste and it is the excitement of know that the fresh garlic will be in soon. By the time the scapes are ready to pick I have been out of fresh garlic for ages so they are a special treat for me.

This exactly! Plus I think it does taste a little different than just garlic. It's kind of like the difference between a scallion and a mature bulb onion. You could use plain old chopped onion in a summery dish, but the onion taste is lighter and fresher tasting if you use a couple of chopped scallions instead.

[brownrexx]

I suspected that it might be like a milder form of garlic. I still have heads of garlic stored from last season so no need for me to use scapes I guess. I will have fresh garlic soon and compost the rest of last year's heads. I store mine in wood baskets in my cool basement and they always last until the next harvest.