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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] "Black Garlic" -- anyone ever hear of this?

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  • From: Erik Lane <eriklane AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] "Black Garlic" -- anyone ever hear of this?
  • Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 22:44:00 -0800

Sounds as if it's the machine they make it in that's patented; they may be keeping the process a secret because the recipe can't be patented. The company seems to be selling the machines, and/or the finished product.

That sounds like a more reasonable answer.
 
Also seems to take a month to make it; so I doubt many market customers are going to do it themselves. Or that I'm going to, for that matter.

Searching "fermented garlic" brings up mostly references to using the stuff, or to the machine-made version; but I did find this, don't know how accurate it is: "Ordinary garlic is placed in earthenware jugs in a cool environment, such as a cave. The garlic is left to age for several months. No bacteria is added. The result is a simple food with a complex flavor."
However other sources say it's fermented at a high tmperature, and the machines may use heat and controlled humidity. Maybe there are multiple versions of fermented garlic, just as there are a lot of different kinds of pickles.

What I was reading seemed to imply that the commercial process (that I thought they were trying to patent) is used specifically because it didn't require small batches in earthenware pots and many months of waiting. It seemed that they were looking for a short cut to come out with substantially the same end result by using the technology.

 
Anyway I don't think I'm going to find a quick and easy way to make it -- that is, some techniques may be easy enough if you have the right environment handy, but it's probably still going to take some time.


Also sounded to me like something that either would really only be worthwhile on a small or really large scale. There didn't seem to be much of a middle ground in the processes. At least it's not something worth messing with at this point, it seems like. But probably worth keeping an eye on. People might bring a recipe out of Asia if it gets popular enough. I assume there are different recipes and ways to make it but that they're just tied up in tradition and behind a language barrier for most people. If this becomes a craze there will be a lot more info to be found before too long.

Erik



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