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Garlic, an Edible Biography: The History, Politics, and Mythology Behind the World's Most Pungent Food
Garlic is the Lord Byron of produce, a lusty rogue that charms and seduces you but runs off before dawn, leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Called everything from rustic cure-all to Russian penicillin, Bronx vanilla and Italian perfume, garlic has been loved, worshipped, and despised throughout history. No writer has quite captured the epic, roving story of garlic—until now.
While this book does not claim that garlic saved civilization (though it might cure whatever ails you), it does take us on a grand tour of its fascinating role in history, medicine, literature, and art; its controversial role in bigotry, mythology, and superstition; and its indispensable contribution to the great cuisines of the world. And just to make sure your appetite isn’t slighted, Garlic offers over 100 recipes featuring the beloved ingredient.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 19, 2020
My garlic-loving self found it fascinating, but a little unfocused at times. I think the book would have benefitted from better defined subsections, as well as some visual aids.
Some fun facts (quoted directly from the book):
- Garlic is one of the few products used in the three major ancient healing systems: Indian Ayuverda, traditional Chinese medicine, and traditional European medicine
- The first known mention of garlic's medical properties is in the world's oldest known medical text, a papyrus from ancient Egypt known as the Ebers Papyrus
- The [Roman] soldiers also planted garlic in the fields of the countries they conquered in the belief that garlic-inspired courage could be transmitted up through the battlefield. Thanks to this practice, the Roman legions deserve credit for introducing garlic to the countries of Northern Europe
- The Chinese character for garlic is one symbol, which indicates that it's one of the language's first written words
- Although India is the world's second-largest producer of garlic [China is the first], it's so essential to the native cuisine that additional garlic has to be imported to satisfy demand.
- Although the twentieth century was generally viewed as catastrophic for crop diversity, garlic was one of the century's big diversity winners..
There were three garlic varieties available in 1993; in 2004, there were a staggering 274
Some fun facts (quoted directly from the book):
- Garlic is one of the few products used in the three major ancient healing systems: Indian Ayuverda, traditional Chinese medicine, and traditional European medicine
- The first known mention of garlic's medical properties is in the world's oldest known medical text, a papyrus from ancient Egypt known as the Ebers Papyrus
- The [Roman] soldiers also planted garlic in the fields of the countries they conquered in the belief that garlic-inspired courage could be transmitted up through the battlefield. Thanks to this practice, the Roman legions deserve credit for introducing garlic to the countries of Northern Europe
- The Chinese character for garlic is one symbol, which indicates that it's one of the language's first written words
- Although India is the world's second-largest producer of garlic [China is the first], it's so essential to the native cuisine that additional garlic has to be imported to satisfy demand.
- Although the twentieth century was generally viewed as catastrophic for crop diversity, garlic was one of the century's big diversity winners..
There were three garlic varieties available in 1993; in 2004, there were a staggering 274
April 26, 2015
If you ever wanted to know more about garlic the book Garlic, An Edible Biography might be the book for you. As the subtitle makes clear the book is about The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes. Written by Robin Cherry, travel writer and historian, the book is split into two sections regarding history and recipes.
After an introduction from author Robin Cherry on how important and meaningful garlic has been to her, it is on to “Part One: The Story Of Garlic.” The four chapters in this section of over 100 pages explain the history of garlic in food, health, and literature, modern uses, and how to grow your own. Also included in this section are short bios of all the various garlic types which number far more than what you will ever find in your local store or produce market.
“Part Two: Recipes” begins on page 117 with a 4 page recipe list of all the recipes and their corresponding page numbers. That is followed by three pages on how to properly handle garlic before one moves on to “Dips, Sauces and Condiments” on page 125-130. All of that prepares you for “Bread, Pizza, and Pasta” (pages 141-146), “Beef” (pages 197-202), “Side Dishes” (pages 227-232) and more. Each recipe has an intro that often features a cooking tip or other advice that might include another history lesson, a list of ingredients needed, and instructions that include information on number of servings.
An acknowledgement page, a two page bibliography, an 11 page index, and a one page short author bio bring this 265 page book to a close.
While Garlic, An Edible Biography is interesting it suffers from two significant drawbacks. Surprising it does not contain any pictures of the various garlic types the book covers nor does it contain any pictures of the finished dishes. In addition to the lack of pictures that would have helped break up the bland and very dry text, there is zero nutritional information regarding fat/salt content or other possible dietary restrictions or needs.
Garlic, An Edible Biography is quite the garlic resource. With the noted forgoing limitations, if you want to know quite a lot more about garlic and how to use it, this is a book worthy of your consideration.
Garlic, An Edible Biography: The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes
Robin Cherry
Roost Books (Imprint of Shambhala publications, Inc.)
http://www.roostbooks.com
2014
ISBN #978-1-61180-160-6
Paperback (also available in e-book form)
$16.95
Material was picked up to read and review via the good folks of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015
After an introduction from author Robin Cherry on how important and meaningful garlic has been to her, it is on to “Part One: The Story Of Garlic.” The four chapters in this section of over 100 pages explain the history of garlic in food, health, and literature, modern uses, and how to grow your own. Also included in this section are short bios of all the various garlic types which number far more than what you will ever find in your local store or produce market.
“Part Two: Recipes” begins on page 117 with a 4 page recipe list of all the recipes and their corresponding page numbers. That is followed by three pages on how to properly handle garlic before one moves on to “Dips, Sauces and Condiments” on page 125-130. All of that prepares you for “Bread, Pizza, and Pasta” (pages 141-146), “Beef” (pages 197-202), “Side Dishes” (pages 227-232) and more. Each recipe has an intro that often features a cooking tip or other advice that might include another history lesson, a list of ingredients needed, and instructions that include information on number of servings.
An acknowledgement page, a two page bibliography, an 11 page index, and a one page short author bio bring this 265 page book to a close.
While Garlic, An Edible Biography is interesting it suffers from two significant drawbacks. Surprising it does not contain any pictures of the various garlic types the book covers nor does it contain any pictures of the finished dishes. In addition to the lack of pictures that would have helped break up the bland and very dry text, there is zero nutritional information regarding fat/salt content or other possible dietary restrictions or needs.
Garlic, An Edible Biography is quite the garlic resource. With the noted forgoing limitations, if you want to know quite a lot more about garlic and how to use it, this is a book worthy of your consideration.
Garlic, An Edible Biography: The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes
Robin Cherry
Roost Books (Imprint of Shambhala publications, Inc.)
http://www.roostbooks.com
2014
ISBN #978-1-61180-160-6
Paperback (also available in e-book form)
$16.95
Material was picked up to read and review via the good folks of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2015
November 15, 2014
I recieved a copy of this book through GoodReads Giveaways.
Long Story Short: Good begining, reads like a textbook, wish it had more picturse.
I really liked the first part of the book. You can really get a sense of the authors passion for garlic. However the longer you read, the more dry and factual the pages become. Several times during the "benefits of garlic" section I found myself rolling my eyes because it sounded like a commercial you see at 3Am for a miracle pill. We get it, Garlic does great things for you, lets not talk about the thing the ancient egyptians thought it did like its proven scientific fact.
When I was in High School, we had to write a very long and involved book report using note cards that we wrote "facts" from our "research" down on. And thats how this felt. She found a whole bunch of facts on garlic, wrote them on note cards, laid them out on the table and then typed them up. They were interesting facts, but I didn't feel any connection to the words.
The recipes looked good though, I will certainly be trying a few of them.
Long Story Short: Good begining, reads like a textbook, wish it had more picturse.
I really liked the first part of the book. You can really get a sense of the authors passion for garlic. However the longer you read, the more dry and factual the pages become. Several times during the "benefits of garlic" section I found myself rolling my eyes because it sounded like a commercial you see at 3Am for a miracle pill. We get it, Garlic does great things for you, lets not talk about the thing the ancient egyptians thought it did like its proven scientific fact.
When I was in High School, we had to write a very long and involved book report using note cards that we wrote "facts" from our "research" down on. And thats how this felt. She found a whole bunch of facts on garlic, wrote them on note cards, laid them out on the table and then typed them up. They were interesting facts, but I didn't feel any connection to the words.
The recipes looked good though, I will certainly be trying a few of them.
September 8, 2014
Are you a garlic lover? Can’t get enough? If so, this book is for you. Robin Cherry pulls together all sorts of historical tidbits and anecdotes of garlic. The first half of the book takes the reader through the medicinal uses of garlic, the use of garlic in food and cooking, and garlic in lore and the supernatural. There is a section on growing your own garlic which is extremely informative. Types of garlic are described both in origin, aesthetic/color, and flavor; the climates in which the type of garlic grows best is also discussed.
The second half of the book is full of recipes. Some of the contemporary recipes that caught my eye were Garlic Cheddar Ale Soup, Green Garlic Risotto, Garlic Brittle and Chocolate Chip Cookies. There were also quite a few historic recipes shared such as Goat Stew with Fat, Garlic, Onions, Sour Milk and Blood (I think I will be passing on this one!).
I received this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
The second half of the book is full of recipes. Some of the contemporary recipes that caught my eye were Garlic Cheddar Ale Soup, Green Garlic Risotto, Garlic Brittle and Chocolate Chip Cookies. There were also quite a few historic recipes shared such as Goat Stew with Fat, Garlic, Onions, Sour Milk and Blood (I think I will be passing on this one!).
I received this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
January 30, 2015
I feel like some topics were repeated in the book and there are some typos throughout so you have to guess which word it really should have been. The recipe section: I made the Garlic, Cheddar and Ale soup only to find out that the paprika calls for a tbsp and not a tspn. I had to toss the whole mess. I should have known better to put a whole tablespoon of paprika in ANYTHING. I just lowered my rating to 2 from 3 stars
January 17, 2020
Garlic is better than ten mothers!
October 12, 2024
A fun, quick reading book on garlic, with part one divided into four chapters discussing history medical and culinary uses of garlic, folklore associated with it, how to grow garlic, and some of the different varieties available. Roughly the second half of the book, part two, is over a 100 recipes using garlic, such as condiments, salads, beef dishes, vegetarian cuisine, even dessert.
After a short introduction (the highlight was a too-briefly-discussed USDA mission in 1989 to collect garlic varieties in the Caucuses and Central Asia, areas thanks to the Cold War long denied to Americans), we get chapter one “The Elixir of Life: Garlic and Health.” All about medicinal uses of garlic, covers medicinal uses in Ancient Egypt, among Old Testament era Jews, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, in traditional Chinese medicine, the three ancient medical traditions of India (Siddha, Ayurveda, and Unani), and medieval Europe. Also, a discussion of garlic’s antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, antioxidant, and cancer fighting characteristics and recent research on garlic’s benefits in such areas as an anti-inflammatory, how it is a natural chelation agent (can act to detoxify heavy metals in the body), and its importance in men’s health issues.
Chapter two looked at the history of garlic cultivation and its use in cooking, covering among other things its heavy use in four of the seven Chinese culinary schools (Cantonese, Hunan, Shandong, and Sichuan), its importance in Indian cuisine (part of the Holy Trinity along with ginger and onions), Portuguese influence in Goa cuisine (the “word vindaloo is a combination of vin (vinegar) and aloo from alho, the Portuguese word for “garlic””), its importance in France (“Perhaps no European country is more closely identified with garlic than France, where one could argue that the pungent bulb reached its culinary and cultural apogee”), the love Thomas Jefferson had for garlic (“America’s first foodie,” though thanks to the “benumbing influence of the Puritans who believed that garlic was fit only for the Papish French and Italians, garlic went underground in North America for the next two hundred years”), the invention of Caesar salad (in which garlic was important), the importance of James Beard in popularizing garlic use in the US after World War II (and later Julia Child and in the UK Elizabeth David, working in a time when “the British still considered foreign cuisine “filthy”” and wouldn’t even eat olive oil), and closed with a discussion of the “Great Garlic Press Controversy” as well as black garlic and a how to cope with garlic breath.
Chapter three, “High Stakes and Love Charms; Garlic in Legend and Lore” looked at both fun things, such an in-depth look at various vampire legends around the world as well as recent pop culture (even Anne Rice, Twilight, and Blade) and how garlic fits in as a vampire deterrent and its importance in various traditions such as weddings, as well as less light-hearted reading on association of garlic eating with classism, racism, and antisemitism.
Chapter four was on how to grow your own garlic, discussed the historical legacy with regards to garlic of the great Russian botanist, crop geneticist, and plant geographer Nikolai Vavilov (1887-1943, sadly perishing in a Soviet prison camp), several garlic festivals around the world, and a discussion of some of the 274 varieties of garlic available today, including Ajo Rojo (from Spain, whose “white wrappers open to reveal stunning rose-colored cloves with red, purple, and maroon streaks”), Rose du Var (from Provence, a “pink-tinged garlic known for its hot, pungent taste”), Pskem (collected and made available thanks to the 1989 garlic-collecting mission, found in Uzbekistan), and Russian Red (“introduced to the United States via Canada by Russian Doukhobor immigrants in the 1800s”).
Recipes are wide ranging, including Blaff (a lime juice and garlic marinated fish dish from the Caribbean island of Martinique), Lasooni Jhiinga (Indian garlic shrimp dish from Rajasthan), Plov with Lamb ("Plov is Uzbekistan's native dish"), Zaalouk (a Moroccan eggplant dish), and Poule au Pot (a French chicken dish).
Has a bibliography and an index.
After a short introduction (the highlight was a too-briefly-discussed USDA mission in 1989 to collect garlic varieties in the Caucuses and Central Asia, areas thanks to the Cold War long denied to Americans), we get chapter one “The Elixir of Life: Garlic and Health.” All about medicinal uses of garlic, covers medicinal uses in Ancient Egypt, among Old Testament era Jews, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, in traditional Chinese medicine, the three ancient medical traditions of India (Siddha, Ayurveda, and Unani), and medieval Europe. Also, a discussion of garlic’s antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, antioxidant, and cancer fighting characteristics and recent research on garlic’s benefits in such areas as an anti-inflammatory, how it is a natural chelation agent (can act to detoxify heavy metals in the body), and its importance in men’s health issues.
Chapter two looked at the history of garlic cultivation and its use in cooking, covering among other things its heavy use in four of the seven Chinese culinary schools (Cantonese, Hunan, Shandong, and Sichuan), its importance in Indian cuisine (part of the Holy Trinity along with ginger and onions), Portuguese influence in Goa cuisine (the “word vindaloo is a combination of vin (vinegar) and aloo from alho, the Portuguese word for “garlic””), its importance in France (“Perhaps no European country is more closely identified with garlic than France, where one could argue that the pungent bulb reached its culinary and cultural apogee”), the love Thomas Jefferson had for garlic (“America’s first foodie,” though thanks to the “benumbing influence of the Puritans who believed that garlic was fit only for the Papish French and Italians, garlic went underground in North America for the next two hundred years”), the invention of Caesar salad (in which garlic was important), the importance of James Beard in popularizing garlic use in the US after World War II (and later Julia Child and in the UK Elizabeth David, working in a time when “the British still considered foreign cuisine “filthy”” and wouldn’t even eat olive oil), and closed with a discussion of the “Great Garlic Press Controversy” as well as black garlic and a how to cope with garlic breath.
Chapter three, “High Stakes and Love Charms; Garlic in Legend and Lore” looked at both fun things, such an in-depth look at various vampire legends around the world as well as recent pop culture (even Anne Rice, Twilight, and Blade) and how garlic fits in as a vampire deterrent and its importance in various traditions such as weddings, as well as less light-hearted reading on association of garlic eating with classism, racism, and antisemitism.
Chapter four was on how to grow your own garlic, discussed the historical legacy with regards to garlic of the great Russian botanist, crop geneticist, and plant geographer Nikolai Vavilov (1887-1943, sadly perishing in a Soviet prison camp), several garlic festivals around the world, and a discussion of some of the 274 varieties of garlic available today, including Ajo Rojo (from Spain, whose “white wrappers open to reveal stunning rose-colored cloves with red, purple, and maroon streaks”), Rose du Var (from Provence, a “pink-tinged garlic known for its hot, pungent taste”), Pskem (collected and made available thanks to the 1989 garlic-collecting mission, found in Uzbekistan), and Russian Red (“introduced to the United States via Canada by Russian Doukhobor immigrants in the 1800s”).
Recipes are wide ranging, including Blaff (a lime juice and garlic marinated fish dish from the Caribbean island of Martinique), Lasooni Jhiinga (Indian garlic shrimp dish from Rajasthan), Plov with Lamb ("Plov is Uzbekistan's native dish"), Zaalouk (a Moroccan eggplant dish), and Poule au Pot (a French chicken dish).
Has a bibliography and an index.
November 14, 2022
ABSOLUTELY RIVETING I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE WHOLE WAY
Not even exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best pieces of literature I've read in the past year. Cultural studies, archeology, and an inquiry into the history of religions that Eliade wished he wrote. Here's some great quotes:
1. "[...] Roman legions deserve credit for introducing garlic to the countries of northern Europe. There was even a saying at the time, Allia non comedas (May you not eat garlic), which really meant, “May you not be drafted into the army.”
2. [Talking about medicine in ancient Greece and Egypt] The woman in question is instructed to insert a clean, peeled clove of garlic in her vagina for one night. If garlic’s odor comes out of her mouth in the morning, she will bear children.
Aaaand my favourite:
3. "Garlic was so valuable in Russia that in Siberia in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, you could use it to pay your taxes. The tax rate was fifteen bulbs for a man, ten bulbs for a woman, and five for a child. Resist the temptation to try this with the IRS."
Can't wait to only talk about garlic fun facts for the next few months.
Not even exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best pieces of literature I've read in the past year. Cultural studies, archeology, and an inquiry into the history of religions that Eliade wished he wrote. Here's some great quotes:
1. "[...] Roman legions deserve credit for introducing garlic to the countries of northern Europe. There was even a saying at the time, Allia non comedas (May you not eat garlic), which really meant, “May you not be drafted into the army.”
2. [Talking about medicine in ancient Greece and Egypt] The woman in question is instructed to insert a clean, peeled clove of garlic in her vagina for one night. If garlic’s odor comes out of her mouth in the morning, she will bear children.
Aaaand my favourite:
3. "Garlic was so valuable in Russia that in Siberia in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, you could use it to pay your taxes. The tax rate was fifteen bulbs for a man, ten bulbs for a woman, and five for a child. Resist the temptation to try this with the IRS."
Can't wait to only talk about garlic fun facts for the next few months.
February 2, 2021
I will never look at a head of garlic the same way again! An incredibly thorough look into one of my most beloved gastronomic components. I grew up in a family where (aside from desserts I must admit) there was seldom a dish made that didn't start with garlic--usually in tandem with onions. I heard about this book through a favorite podcast (GASTROPOD--which I highly recommend) and those ladies did not leave me wanting with this selection. Being a city dweller, the section that got a bit slow for me was the information on garlic cultivation itself. However, not only may my situation change, but there was a lot of information regarding garlic in relation to other plants, the myriad varieties, and the RECIPES! Treasures.
December 17, 2020
Sensational feast of garlic lore. I was unaware of the rich history of garlic, and especially appreciated the authors accounts of the relatively recent discoveries of an abundance of local varieties from around the world. I’ve had mixed success with a few recipes from the books extensive offerings, but I’ll keep trying ... so charmed was I by the author's devotion. I was even inspired, this November, to plant two varieties of garlic I learned about in the book.
January 7, 2022
The history and stories of Garlic are the best part of this book. Indeed, the opening sentence made me laugh for a bit. The recipes are rightfully oriented toward an emphasis on garlic flavoring. If you enjoy garlic, this is a good resource.
January 5, 2023
The book is much more cookbook than biography, in this I was disappointed. Many types of gariic and how to grow them is detailed as well. I was hoping for something more like "Pepper" or "Salt." While I would recommend it, it would be more for a reading challenge or casual read.
November 17, 2023
A very fascinating and well written history/biography of garlic. I have a deeper appreciation of garlic with its medicinal, culinary, and mystical properties. The recipes at the back all look delicious and are like a little reward for reading the interesting facts of garlic. All in all, this is a well thought out book with an author who puts life into their words and doesn't make it feel like you're reading from an extremely dry textbook.
March 2, 2024
Fantastic find after attending a garlic festival, getting hooked and experimenting with growing unique varieties. Appreciate the great recipes, and loved the description of the varieties and history.
December 5, 2019
A world history of the importance of garlic in various cultures with great recipes too!
December 24, 2020
Really enjoyed. Learned a lot
April 27, 2015
This book is worth reading, but I didn't find myself really devoted to it. I could definitely put it down and walk away from it. I love micro histories, and while this book is not boring, it's also not a very engaging read. I think it could have gone deeper into some of the history and the social aspects of this amazing food, and I also didn't like that the citations weren't provided in the body of the book. It's great if you're going to provide a bibliography, but it's much more useful if you indicate where you are getting your information as you state it in the body of the book. Also, about 1/3 of this book is recipes. Which is not bad, but I would have much more preferred more history. I did learn a lot and I think one of the most useful aspects of this books is how to properly plant garlic and the descriptions of all of the different kinds of garlic.
November 25, 2014
Received a completed copy thru the Goodreads First Reader Giveaways and the kindness of Roost Books.
I love, love, LOVE garlic...and will put it in almost anything...so this book was quite a treat. Being a fan of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, I celebrate garlic and its many forms and uses annually (at least!) Although as others have noted, the first section on the history of and various uses of garlic can be a bit dry and pedantic, I also DID learn some facts I didn't know... and yes, the 'recipe' section could benefit from some photos.... but the recipe section DID highlight some unusual foreign cuisines I was unfamiliar with, and I WILL be investigating several of them in future... Well done!
I love, love, LOVE garlic...and will put it in almost anything...so this book was quite a treat. Being a fan of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, I celebrate garlic and its many forms and uses annually (at least!) Although as others have noted, the first section on the history of and various uses of garlic can be a bit dry and pedantic, I also DID learn some facts I didn't know... and yes, the 'recipe' section could benefit from some photos.... but the recipe section DID highlight some unusual foreign cuisines I was unfamiliar with, and I WILL be investigating several of them in future... Well done!
December 1, 2014
This book was very good for a number of reasons. The author explored many aspects of garlic - history, recipes, mythology, agriculture, and culture. This comprehensive view was presented with a keen sense of humor. While vampires were definitely included, the more interesting parts of the book to me were how many different varieties of garlic there are, where they grow, and how they vary in taste.
The recipes were representative of all the cultures that use it in cooking - Italian, Chinese, Indian, former Soviet Republics, etc. The medicinal uses were interesting, and I ended up doing more research to find Talmudic references and legends of vampires.
The recipes were representative of all the cultures that use it in cooking - Italian, Chinese, Indian, former Soviet Republics, etc. The medicinal uses were interesting, and I ended up doing more research to find Talmudic references and legends of vampires.
January 10, 2016
The first half of this book gives a history of garlic which is interesting if, like me, you are a slightly obsessed garlic lover. The second half of the book is filled with garlicky recipes. I'm glad I read it, if only for the recipes. Unfortunately I found the book a bit dry for pleasure reading.
December 19, 2014
skimmed over the history part (though some of the anecdotes were amusing), then I skimmed over the recipes part. I guess I am not as interested in garlic as I thought I was.
January 8, 2015
While fun and nicely written, the "biography" of garlic only takes up 80 pages and there are no illustrations. Some of the recipes look very tasty.
March 5, 2015
Very interesting bits on the folklore of garlic, vampires of course. Detailed instructions on the growing of garlic and its many varieties. Best part is an extensive recipe section.
December 28, 2015
Fascinating look at a wonderful spice.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews