I used to say that there is no such thing as too much garlic.
I would push the envelope of how much I can use, sometimes quadrupling the amount the recipe called for. Then one night Kevin and his brother prepared a batch of fresh basil pesto. In a bit of arrogance, they added something close to 20 raw cloves. It smelled heavenly, but after just a few bites burned their way down my esophagus I realized we had made a terrible mistake. Since then I’ve been much smarter about the amount of garlic I consume.
Well, until last weekend.
This week marked the 35th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA. I’d wanted to go to this locally famous food festival since I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area back in 2007, but each year something would get in the way. Mid-last week when I found out it was the next weekend, I bought my ticket right away. Only then asking around to see who wanted to go. My friend Cesar said he’d join me, as he grew up close to Gilroy and had good memories of the festival from when he was a kid.
We packed up early in the day planning to arrive right when they opened so that we’d have room to move. I heard the crowd later in the day can be unbearable.
I was eager to try as many unique things as I could, and the merchants didn’t disappoint. Rows of small specialty food producers, were giving out samples of unique garlic-y creations. There were garlic-infused olive oils, vinegars, mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard, and even a sweet and spicy garlic jelly. Next to these were cooked-food vendors selling all manner of pungent, garlicky foods like garlic fries, garlic onion rings, and garlic stuffed mushrooms.
On a rumor that we might be able to find a garlic wine, we bought tickets to use in the Wine Tent. Sure enough, Gilroy’s own Rapazzini Winery was pouring samples of two different garlic-infused wines, Chateau de Garlic Red and Chateau de Garlic White wine. Both were meant to be used for cooking, though on recommendation from the volunteer at the booth, I went with the white, which she said was surprisingly drinkable. And it was, despite the somewhat acidic and alcoholic wine. It’s clearly a novelty and I don’t begrudge the winery for not filling their best wine full of garlic.
Other booths housed art and craft vendors, prominently displaying those that were garlic themed.
But it was the sprawling “Gourmet Alley” tents selling garlic-heavy cooked foods that were the star of the event. These included peppersteak sandwiches, Italian sausage and thick, buttery garlic bread. Behind the tent, a crowd had gathered to watch the cooks prepare these meals. Blaring rock music narrated their spectacular performance. I learned later that these guys were (appropriately) known as the “Pyro Chefs”
Despite this performance, the thing I was most eager to try was the garlic ice cream. I’d long heard about this interesting offering and I was eager to try it for myself. At a booth that was giving free samples of their garlic vanilla ice cream. I had expected it to be more savory, but it was actually surprisingly sweet and rich with vanilla. The garlic was noticeable on first taste, but it was subtle and fleeting. I actually kind of enjoyed the unique blend of flavors.
When I noticed that another booth was selling various other flavors of garlic ice cream, I had to check it out. Upon recommendation from the vendor, I went with two scoops of Garlic Almond ice cream served on a half of a hollowed out cantaloupe. It was only 50 cents more than a cone and I figured the crisp fruit would help me rinse down the garlic.
At a festival like this, it’s easy to over-do it. To stuff yourself full of fatty and fried foods to the point that you feel ill. But, I didn’t feel that way after the Garlic Festival. I chalked it up to our measured approach to the festival. Taking regular breaks to talk and shop between dishes, eating slowly, and leaving before we were overly full. I even scraped off some of the mounds of garlic piled onto my onion rings. I was really proud of myself and went home excited about the flavorful and interesting things that I had tried.
But I was wrong.
In a bout of heartburn and discomfort in the middle of the night, I was reminded that there is, in fact, such a thing as too much garlic. When will I learn?
I wonder if garlic ice cream tastes anything at all like durian, given that durian is a blend of savory and sweet (and sometimes has a hint of garlic, and definitely onions, to it)… I’ve tried durian several times now, so I guess garlic ice cream is next!
You know, I just had durian ice cream a few weeks ago! It was very heavily sweetened but definitely had a kind of rotten oniony flavor (I’ve never had it fresh) so I can imagine it might be pretty similar!
I’ve had garlic ice cream in an Italian restaurant before, & given that durian supposedly tastes like caramelized onions, I could see why you might expect that. Sadly, the garlic flavor was so weak that it was noticeable.
I’m not sure if I feel nauseous or hungry after reading this. I’m sort of curious about the ice cream but I’m not sure if I’m brave enough 🙂
I think you’re brave enough and I’m SURE you ate stranger things in Asia 🙂
No pain, no gain, that’s what I always say. Come on, Cas… tough it out! 😛
Ugh, why do you like to see me suffer! 🙂
Ha, Rich always multiplies the amount of garlic in a recipe by at least 5 (he would’ve been all over Kevin’s pesto). I’ve gotten used to it over the years but still cannot do too much raw garlic. I’m up all night!
He would have been in heaven! You guys have to come out for the Garlic Fest one day 🙂
Ok I’m so glad someone finally admitted this. I’m in the same camp. You can not have too much garlic. But then we tried this awesome chips in Prague. And my breath is kickin. But now it’s addictive.
Hehe, it is addicting, isn’t it!?! Tell me more about those chips… 🙂
There is no such thing as too much garlic. Eating oceans of garlic is a delight and a privilege. Never disparage garlic ever again!
Duly noted, how could I have been so crass 🙂
Dude, you wouldn’t say that if you had to live with her after this. Before that fateful night, I would have agreed with you 100%, even if I did almost kill myself the time I made pesto with 18 cloves of garlic.
I would have said, before this post, that there can never be enough garlic. The Gilroy Garlic Fries I had at PacBell were sheer heaven. But Garlic ice cream…. that may be going to far.
As I said, I’ve been fighting that realization for a few years — I love garlic so much, I don’t WANT it to be true 🙂 The garlic ice cream is worth a try, I’ll find it for you next time you’re in California.
I just want to help. Please everyone note; I was up all night until this morning “tossing my cookies” from 8pm until 4:30am, with a horrible burning in my stomach, which also burned my throat every time it came up, and my bum, as you could say it was violently cleaning out of me again and again for all those miserable hours. All because I cooked some garlic cloves in olive oil and ate them to get rid of a virus. I googled “garlic toxicity” and learned what I’d not known, that indeed, too much garlic is not healthy. But seriously folks, please, please heed my advice. With very little in my stomach other than three (3) eggs plus the 8 garlic cloves, I was in disbelief at how many times I tossed my cookies (my eggs & garlic), and in a LOT of BURNING pain. Two articles said it burns the stomach. I love garlic & have never posted any comment on any site, I treasure my privacy, but I just wanted to be sure and help.
Hi Sandy, thank you for sharing — I’m so sorry to hear about how you learned the hard way to take it easy on the garlic! I hope you are feeling better!
Hi Sandy, thanks for being a valuable part of our community. We welcome your input, and feel free to join into the conversation any time. We’re glad to have you! 🙂