Garlic 101 – The Basics (REVISED)
About Garlic Garlic ( Allium sativum ) has been used around the world for thousands of years as medicine and to flavor food of all sorts. We often think of it as an herb or spice, but botanically it is considered to be a vegetable. Garlic is a member of the allium family, so it is related to onions, shallots, leeks and chives. Although we typically focus on eating the bulb of the plant, the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots of the garlic plant are also edible.
The bulb of the garlic plant is the most used part. The bulb can be divided into portions known as cloves. Garlic cloves can be eaten raw or cooked for culinary and medicinal purposes. The cloves have a tart, spicy flavor that becomes savory and sweet when cooked. The leaves and flowers are sometimes eaten when they are young and tender.