For more than 50 years, Christopher Ranch has been producing garlic from seed originally brought over from France and Italy. Although these varieties deliver a lower crop yield than Asian garlic, the flavor is of noticeably higher quality, offering what one respected chef has termed “true garlic flavor” – a robust experience for the palate, which lasts throughout enjoyment of a well prepared meal.
Like wine or chocolate, varieties of garlic have distinctly different flavors. Indeed, choosing a garlic variety is much like choosing a wine or chocolate: One seeks to find the optimal flavor – not too hot, not too mild, but perfectly balanced. Some varieties of garlic are unpleasantly hot to the taste, while others – such as many varieties grown in China – don't even come close to the kind of pungency and flavor we typically expect from garlic.
Christopher Ranch heirloom garlic offers a vastly superior flavor experience compared to imported varieties. In fact, many notable U.S. chefs now choose only the highest quality California-grown varieties for their personal and professional cooking needs, rejecting cheaper, less flavorable alternatives from abroad.
The Science of Flavor
Garlic depends on its own essential oils to cook correctly. Varieties heavy in water are not as easy to sauté, and can't deliver the same level of flavor as varieties that are dense with these essential oils. This is just one example of the science behind garlic flavor, and yet another reason why Christopher Ranch garlic delivers a taste experience that has become the preferred culinary standard for both at-home and professional chefs.
How do we know our garlic has more of what makes a garlic-inspired dish or meal truly memorable? It's all in the BRIX – a standard for measuring produce flavor that is the accepted test of quality for agricultural products worldwide. Named for the 19th Century German chemist who first discovered the method, the BRIX measurement is a direct and unfailingly accurate indicator of plant quality. The wine industry in particular relies on BRIX scores to set and maintain flavor standards. For instance, a poor, sour tasting grape from worn out land may test 8 or less on the BRIX scale. A full flavored, delicious grape grown on rich soil, on the other hand, may test as high as 24 or better. These same tests applied to garlic prove that California-grown garlic tests 23% richer in flavor than most imports.
See how Christopher Ranch BRIX scores compare to imported garlic.
Don't Be Fooled by Inferior Garlic!
You can tell Christopher Ranch California fresh garlic by its heart-shaped appearance and pungent garlic aroma. Most imports are flatter in shape, paler in color, and often the root has been shaved off, exposing the garlic clove to unnecessary drying during the lengthy shipping process. If you aren't sure where the garlic in your local market was grown, ask your grocer. Or check here for a list of merchants who carry Christopher Ranch superior garlic products.
