Black garlic started life as a white clove - how does it get black?
The slow process relies on a nonenzymatic browning reaction described in 1913 by this serious Frenchman and named for him - the Maillard reaction. Sugars and amino acids are rearranged over and over to provide colour but more importantly flavour in the black garlic. The molecules produced are specific to the food type: for black garlic more S-allylcysteine  and S-allyl-mercaptocysteine and higher antioxidant levels. This is why your unbaked cake smells so-so, but your baked cake smells and looks delicious. More here - happy browning!

Thanks to Ben Willis chef Aubergine - tasted our black garlic out at the Old Cheese Factory and got in touch - lovely to meet you Ben and hope to hear and see how you have used the cloves! Stay tuned

It is a terrific thrill to let you know that we entered two products in the Royal Agricultural Society Sydney Royal Fine Food awards held in Sydney this month: our black garlic cloves and our lemon myrtle and black garlic powder. As you can see, we scored two silver medals!

Since its inception in 1822, the RAS has dedicated itself to the pursuit of excellence in agriculture. It has been an influential voice in setting benchmarks and raising the production values of Australia’s primary industries. Our black garlic has been judged by high-profile, highly skilled personalities who are recognised as experts within their profession.
We particularly want to thank Gilles Bonin and Victoria Clutterbuck for their mentoring of us as accidental garlic growers and their supply of luscious garlic. Thanks also to our community for all the support: all our garlic is locally grown (some on our farms but all in Braidwood) and feedback from customers has been essential in giving us the courage to enter this award. Thanks to our retailers who took a punt on stocking our products - we look forward to a great next season. 

Check out the progress in the garlic patch on a windy day at Manar - by January it will be part if our new supply of black garlic. Get on top of your weeds now before the warm weather helps them blossom. Happy garlic growing

Recent rains have done the Garlicious Grown garlic crops the power of good. Bring on a bit of spring warmth for a bumper season.