For Goodness Scapes

All of a sudden, everyone is talking about garlic scapes. A recent issue of a: NEW YORK newspaper  featured an article entitled “The Freshest Tastes of Summer.” Top on their list was the gourmand’s new favorite: the garlic scape. (And at a whopping $6 a bunch!) Apparently garlic scapes are showing up in all of the top chef’s restaurants this year.

Up until two weeks ago, I had never even heard of a garlic scape. It was at my weekly pick-up at the farm that I read the sign: “Garlic scapes: 1 bunch per share, use like garlic.” Upon my return home, I immediately did an Internet search to find out how exactly I’d be using this long green curly stem. I learned that the garlic scape is the very top of a growing garlic’s shoot. This time of year it twirls and curls…and is snipped off to use in food. I had never heard of such a thing and ran out to check the garlic I was growing in my own garden: yup. Garlic scapes.

To use garlic scapes, you should cut off the top flowery part of the stem and cut the rest into very small slices.  I understand it can then be used like garlic or even chopped like chives and put on scrambled eggs, to top off rice or pasta dishes or just sautéed in olive oil in place of regular minced garlic. It can also be used in pesto, which is a huge favorite around here, so that’s the recipe I tried.

To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed! The recipe I tried called for garlic scapes and no basil, so I should have known then I wouldn’t like it that much. Luckily I got more scapes the following week at the farm as well as some from my home garden, so I plan on trying to cook with them again. This time I plan on using some of the fresh basil that’s abounding outside as well as some regular garlic.

– Contributed by Guest Blogger Gina Sampaio