STIFFNECKS
THE PORCELAIN COLLECTION: Porcelains are rich-tasting, hot, potenty garlics that are extremely
rare on the commercial market. They are hard to because they tend to only make two to six fat cloves per bulb. They have a
short shelf-life, so eat them soon!
CICHI is a Porcelain garlic from the Republic of Georgia. Very garlicky but not too hot. It is especially
good raw. Slice thinly and add to hearty salads such as veggie, bean or pasta. Or try it in salsa.
ROMANIAN RED: We keep growing this garlic because it is Pat’s very favorite – it’s most
excellent with meats, in particular.
GERMAN HARDY: We obtained seed stock for this garlic from Rico Meleski, who lives up at 10,000 feet in the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It is delicious, ever-so-slightly sweet, with unusual undertones to the taste. It is milder than
many porcelain garlics, too – it won’t knock your socks off.
ROCAMBOLES: Rocamboles are garlics that win taste tests across the board. They are also beautiful
– inside cloves have a deep red wrapper – and they are easy to peel.
PENASCO BLUE has been grown around our farm near Penasco for at least 30 years.. The aroma is wonderful when Penasco Blue
is crushed or pressed and sauteed in butter. Its flavor is gentle so it can be eaten in large quantities almost as if it were
a vegetable.
SANTA FE ROCAMBOLE: We found this garlic growing teensy bulbs under some unruly old red roses in Santa Fe. Similar to the
famous Spanish Roja, it is gourmet good. Slice cloves in half the long way and saute in olive oil turning often until lightly
browned. Spear with toothpicks and eat as mini-appetizers.
PURPLE STRIPES: Purple stripes are similar to a Rocambole, often with particularly bright coloring.
They have bold flavors and keep well.
CHESNOK RED is a Purple Stripe garlic also known as "Shvelisi," the name of the town in the Republic of Georgia where the
garlic originates. The word "chesnok" simply means "garlic" in Russian. It is one of our favorite roasting garlics, as it
develops a beautiful buttery texture when roasted. Also, add whole cloves of Chesnok Red – roasted or raw -- to stews.
RED REZAN is a beautiful Purple Stripe stiffneck from a town south of Moscow named Rezan. This is the "just right" garlic
– not too hot, not too mild. For perfectly garlicky soup, squeeze several cloves through a garlic press into hot chicken
broth and simmer five minutes. Then pour over pieces of dry bread or croutons in bowls.
CHAMISAL WILD: In the summer of 2004, the postmistress in our small village, Noami, told us about a patch of wild garlic
growing nearby, along the acequia (community ditch). She described its location, so we went looking for it. We walked up and
down the creek, back and forth, and couldn't seem to find it, until suddenly, Kristen caught a whiff. Garlic in the air. She
looked down and realized that what she thought was a field of thick-bladed grass was actually a field of wild garlic. We dug
a couple dozen bulbs that autumn, and planted them. The garlic is increasing in size and has a fantastic, rich flavor -- and
it's gorgeous purple and shaped like a perfect flower.
SOFTNECKS
ARTICHOKES:Artichoke garlics are named because the several layers of cloves overlap, much like
an artichoke.
POLISH WHITE loves growing in New Mexico. Its big bulbs and cloves are perfect for oven baking. But
with its warm, rich flavor, Polish White is truly an all-purpose garlic. Enjoy it raw, stewed or in your favorite spaghetti
sauce
K’s BACKYARD was found pea-sized in an old Santa Fe garden and grew like a weed once we gave it a bit of water. It
is a versatile garlic. Try crushing a garlic clove, saute it in sesame or olive oil, remove the garlic and then spread the
oil on the bread.
TRANSYLVANIAN: Homely bulb, heavenly taste. It is native to the mountains of Romania, land of Dracula. One of our favorite
customers eats this by the pound, raw and fresh from the ground. Enjoy!
SILVERSKINS These are more Mediterranean garlics – they don’t always care for our cold Rocky Mountain
winters, but a few varieties taste so good, we can’t help but keep growing them. Named for the sheen on their papery
skin, the Silverskins also have an incredibly long shelf life.
LOCATI is a classic, robust, full-flavored Italian garlic, and our longest keeper. If it is kept cool and out of the sun,
Locati will still taste good next summer. Heat olive oil in a pan and add garlic slices, then immediately smash them with
a fork. Stir until they look glazed and toss with hot potatoes, pasta, beans or whatever needs a garlic zing.
