Without Garlic, Life Would Be Just Plain Tasteless

Sliced or chopped, sauteed or roasted, this bold little bulb has Americans clamoring for cloves to add sizzle to supper or to cure what ails us

At last, the homely herb comes into its own. America, land of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, home of the tuna-noodle casserole, has gone ga-ga over garlic. In the United States, per capita garlic consumption has jumped from 0.6 pounds in 1975 to 1.6 pounds in 1994. Author Richard Wolkomir takes us to Northern California, the heart of this country's garlic-growing empire, and beyond, to trace the history and growing mania for this gourmet staple.

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