Ah, garlic. We love it. We crave it. Many of us put in twice as much as a recipe calls for. There are few ingredients as iconic and prevalent in recipes, and even fewer with as long and storied a history as garlic. A member of the onion family, the garlic we know today likely originated in central Asia and has been used as food and medicine for more than 7000 years. Today, China is the top producer of garlic worldwide, and in the U.S., we consume more than 250 million pounds of garlic each year. Read on to learn more about types and parts of the garlic plant, its uses, and ways to feature it in your cooking.

Cloves, Scapes, and Everything in Between

Garlic plants have two main parts: the bulb and the scapes. What we typically think of as garlic is the bulb, the white and sometimes purplish bunch of cloves that grows at the bottom of the plant. Scapes are the green stalks that grow from the top of the bulb. These can be eaten as well—they make appearances at the co-op over the summer (look for them in May and June!) and are found in many a CSA box—and have a much milder, garlicky flavor. Roast or sauté them with a little oil and salt, and they make for a delicious side to any meal.

Garlic can also be eaten at different stages of its growth. Young, immature garlic that has yet to start forming a head of cloves is called green garlic. Green garlic can be used just like garlic, though it will have a milder flavor, similar to garlic scapes. Black garlic, on the other hand, is garlic that has been aged for several weeks in a warm environment. This turns the cloves black and gives them a chewy texture and molasses-like flavor that brings a new dimension to many dishes, including meats, pastas, or simply added to butter. Black garlic can be made at home (with the right equipment that will keep it warm for multiple weeks) or it can be purchased.