Gardeners know that growing garlic is easy and that a planting often yields fruitful results. Braiding freshly grown garlic's stems together and hanging the strand in the kitchen is a decorative way to preserve the heads until use. The braid ensures the garlic gets necessary air circulation, keeping the heads from mildewing. When it's time to use garlic, all the chef has to do is grab onto a head and twist it off.
Instructions
1. Rinse the dirt and other debris off of the heads of garlic. Dry the heads of garlic, stems and leaves thoroughly to prevent molding.
2. Lay three heads of garlic next to each other on a flat work surface. Braid the stems together tightly, making sure the braid starts as close to the top of the heads of garlic as possible. Make about a 1-inch braid.
3. Place a fourth head of garlic just above the leftmost head in the braid. Line up the fourth head of garlic's stem and leaves with the stem on the left side. Braid about 1 inch.
4. Add the fifth and sixth heads of garlic the same way. Line up the fifth head with the garlic head, stems and leaves of the center head and braid for about an inch. Line up the sixth head with the rightmost garlic head, stems and leaves and braid for about an inch.
5. Continue to add heads of garlic to the braid until all heads have been used and the braid is tight. Braid the remaining stems together and cut a length of twine. Wrap the twine tightly around the top of the braid and knot it.
6. Hang the braid from a nail by slipping the head of a nail already in the wall underneath the bottom of the twine. When garlic is needed, simply grab onto a head and twist until it's released.
Tags: heads garlic, about inch, stems leaves, stems together, braid about
