Silverskin Garlic

Silverskins are a type (i.e. a large group) of garlic. You can read about other garlic types in our zine. They are profitable to grow because they have the highest ratio of weight-planted to weight-yielded. They can bolt if stressed, but otherwise make beautiful braids. Straightforward flavor, exceptional storage, and adaptable cultivars are reasons why Silverskin types are the most common type found in supermarkets.

Storage: Up to 12 months after harvest

Varieties: California Late, Silver Rose, Mount St. Helens, Nootka Rose, Idaho Silver

Chef Tim Wastell’s Tasting Notes for ‘Mount St. Helens’:

Raw: (Garlicana grown) Very pleasant. Pungent and earthy tasting, with sharp medium-high heat. (Wapato Island grown) Quite similar tasting, considerably hotter with lingering flavor, much smaller bulbs/cloves

Cooked: (Garlicana grown) Intensely savory flavor, slightly piquant, sturdy beautiful texture low heat level. (Wapato Island grown) Slightly sweeter, same intense savory profile, markedly spicier medium-low heat

Culinary recommendations: bagna cauda (cooked and raw), grated on microplane into dressing for salad with very bitter greens (chicory), rubbed onto bread after grilling