Culinary garlic is a cultivated species that has been bred and grown for several thousand years. The garlic bulb is almost spherical or slightly bulbous in shape and is divided into fleshy cloves, which are covered by a white to purple-coloured skin. It has a characteristic aroma, and its pungency is due to the essential oil allicin, which is released when the garlic is crushed or chopped.
Garlic plays an important role in cooking, giving dishes a more distinctive, slightly spicy flavour. Try using garlic in a slightly unconventional way and mix it into mashed potato.
