Chill Out at the Library

Citizens of the Indus Valley were forbidden to plant the bulbs in their gardens. And the fine for having garlic on one’s breath was often the removal of the person’s nose!”

Even the ancient Italians thought garlic was only for peasants. It was seen as a cheap, abundant and easy to grow allium (member of the onion family). An ancient Roman poem describes a meal of leeks, onions, bitter greens, cabbage and “stinking garlic” that was eaten only by men who plowed the fields.

So, how did strong garlic flavor become pervasive in Italian cooking, especially today in Italian-American cooking? When Italian immigrants came to America to pursue the American Dream they were used to having garlic in their diet, and it was equally easy to grow here and always cheap. Plus, in those days, American cooking was very bland, therefore the smell of garlic emanating from Italian

Bagna Cauda

(P iedmontese Garlic and Anchovy Sauce)

Chef Joe Massaglia

This sauce is one of the specialties of Piedmontese cooking, served whenever the Piedmontese feel hungry accompanied by coarse red wine. The name literally means “hot bath” because raw vegetables, in particular tender cardoons, celery, peppers, artichokes and chicory, are dipped into it. It is usual to serve bagna cauda in the pan in which it has been cooked, kept hot at the table over a small spirit stove.

● 1 cup butter

● 4 tablespoons olive oil

● 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

● 6 anchovy fillets, chopped

● Salt to taste

● 1 small truffle, thinly sliced kitchens was a very strong smell to most Americans.

Heat the butter and olive oil together in a shallow pan, earthenware if possible, and sauté the garlic gently without letting it brown. Take the pan off the heat and add the anchovies. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Return pan to a low heat and continue cooking, stirring, until the anchovies have dissolved into a paste. Season with a pinch of salt and add the truffle. Serve hot.

It wasn’t until after World War II when soldiers came back from having tasted the delicious flavors of the world, and in the 1950s when many chefs began promoting the Mediterranean diet, that Americans began to really appreciate garlic, so much so that it was greatly overused and cooked badly – some Italian chefs said American chefs always burned the garlic in their recipes.

But Italians use far less garlic than you think. Did you know that China has the largest per capita consumption of garlic in the world, eating 87% of all garlic produced. And that Romanians chew raw garlic to ward off a cold? And, of course, vampires!!

In addition to pesto, one my favorite recipes featuring garlic is Bagna Cauda from my home region of Piedmontese. I’ve included the recipe for Bagna Cauda from my website, www.joestablefortwo.com, with this article.

Joe's Table for Two radio show airs Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WOND 1400 AM. Website: joestablefortwo.com. Facebook: Joe's Table for 2. Contact Joe: joestablefortwo@gmail.com.