The Stinking Rose. There are lots of legends and myths about Garlic like the one that when Satan fled the Garden of Eden….
Garlic sprang from his left footprint and onions from his right. The Gods Love wine and cheese and many other delicacies but, apparently, what they have no tolerance for is bad breath, Garlic breath that is. Three thousand years ago in the Arabian town of Mar’ib, the Moon Goddess cursed two men with a horrible disease for committing the unforgivable sin of having “prayed in her temple after eating a meal of stinking plants and onions.” By stinking plant she meant garlic.
Also at the gate of every Zen Buddhist temple in Japan inscriptions on a stone pillar warn that Garlic and are forbidden entrance. Both Caesar and Alexander the Great instructed their men to bolt down Garlic before battle. They believed it made them fiercer warriors. I believe the strong breath could have been used to recognize each other. One Sanskrit calls Garlic “the Slayer of Monsters,” and in truth it is a killer of monsters like high blood pressure and cholesterol. Garlic is an antibiotic, in Russia it is referred to as Russian penicillin.
The chemical in Garlic is Allicin which is released from the clove when crushed. Apparently, it’s considered by many to be a cure all and helps asthma, bronchitis, and it’s a digestive aid. Some studies suggest it may prevent colon, breast, and liver cancer. Another study in 1977 showed that garlic breaks down fibrin, the substance that blood clots are made of. Five cloves of Garlic per week are considered enough. Planting Garlic next to you’re roses helps to control aphids. Garlic in small amounts keeps the dog healthy.
I love Garlic and put it in almost everything but luckily if you don’t like it you can buy the odorless kind in capsules. The easy way to peel it is to separate a clove from the bulb set it on the cutting board and smashes it with the flat side of a knife. Garlic contains selenium, which strengthens the immune system and is also an antioxidant in combination with vitamin E. It is also an antibacterial and is good for wounds. It contains potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, and D.
So there is truth in all the myths and magical healing stories we’ve always heard about Garlic so to protect yourself from any “Pesky Vampires” lurking about, make this weeks recipe, its from Vera Giger, a bartender at the Adobe Resort in Yachats.
Vera’s Garlic Scampi
Brine
1 pound raw in shell shrimp
½ c. rock salt
¾ c. sugar 4c. Water
7 cups Ice
Mix all of the above in large bowl and leave it in the fridge for 3 hours. With scissors cut shrimp along the back to remove the vain but leave the shell on.
Saute~…
½ stick of butter
1 bunch chopped green onions
5 crushed clove garlic
½ pound sliced mushrooms
2 TBLS. Capers
Juice of one lemon
1 cup White wine
Add shrimp; cook ’til done then remove from pan Over medium heat reduce sauce then return shrimp to pan Serve over rice, pour glass of wine and enjoy a healthy and tasty meal!
Enjoy!