Black Garlic has been used for centuries in China and Korea for its health benefits due to the fact that it has twice the amount of antioxidants as raw garlic. In 2008, it started to gain traction in the US in progressive culinary cities. Having a flavor mix of sweet, savory and umami, it is truly a unique product in the culinary world. Soft and jelly-like, and resembling dried fruit, black garlic’s molasses richness with tangy garlic undertones pleasantly mystifies diners who come across it.
Black garlic goes through a fermentation process to gain the characteristics that make it taste vastly different from raw garlic. The Kitchen procures black garlic from the only black garlic producer in the US, who happens to hail from Hayward, California just ninety miles away. They use only the finest locally grown California garlic, which they put into a meticulously monitored machine for three weeks at a low temperature. During this fermentation process, the sugars and amino acids in the raw garlic naturally produce a substance called melanoidin, which is responsible for the striking color of black garlic. This deep color adds a beautiful contrast to brightly colored dishes.
After the fermentation process, the garlic is dried and cooled on special racks for one week. Every bulb is then carefully hand sorted to ensure that only the best quality makes its way to the Kitchen. The rareness and the unique flavor and color of black garlic add a compelling element to any dish.
