I love garlic! It's such an essential ingredient in my life and finds its way into nearly every creation from my kitchen, from roasts to soups to pasta to Asian noodles. But what I don't love is imported garlic - irradiated garlic from China and Chilean and Argentinean garlic treated with Methyl Bromide. Because garlic is so labour-intensive to create, international growers have been encouraged to opt for production-enhancing chemicals and additives. The sad outcome is not only a reduction in those beautiful heady flavours of garlic, but also their amazing immune-boosting and health-giving qualities.
Recently, I have been obsessed with my search for lovely Australian garlic. Local grown. Organic if possible. I have accepted that my new garlic won't be bleached clean and white but will appear in its natural state - slightly purple and probably a bit wonky! But all I have found is cheap Chinese garlic and no Aussie-made produce anywhere.... until I discovered patricenewell.com.au.
You may remember Patrice from her news television career, but more recently she has been perfecting the art of Australian grown garlic (among other organic pursuits) and now home delivers trays of the succulent stuff to your door. Her Biodynamic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is pretty spectacular too! Next on the list? Growing my own...!
