T&D Farms Garlic (Pickup Only)

Before I made pasta, I worked in the wine business, so my nose is carefully attuned to identify certain smells, and the chemical compound that makes a wine "corked"--TCA--is one of them. So imagine my surprise breaking open a bulb of supermarket garlic that reeked of bleach, only to say out loud to my husband: My Garlic is Corked! It wasn't corked, however, it was actually bleached, a common practice for garlic exporters to get rid of unsightly black spots, but incredibly detrimental to the aroma and flavor of the garlic.

That's why I only buy garlic from local farmers that I trust, especially considering I eat A LOT of garlic. Based out in Redlands, California, I discovered this family-owned farm at the Hollywood Farmers' Market more than a decade ago. They don't spray, use pesticides or any GMO seeds.  And their garlic is fragrant and deliciously bleach free.