For 2007 and 2008 I have selected to grow these varieties:

• Heat 3
• Flavor: intense
• Cloves: M - S
• Great for sauces

• Heat 4
• Flavor: tart, pungent
• Cloves: M - L
• Great raw in salads

• Heat 5
• Flavor: smooth
• Cloves: XL
• Great roasted

• Heat 6
• Flavor: mild
• Cloves: M - S
• Great for sauces

• Heat 1
• Flavor: mild
• Cloves: L - XL
• Great roasted

• Heat 2
• Flavor: sharp
• Cloves: M - L
• Great roasted

The chefs prefer hardneck varieties - which should you buy?

There are hundreds of varieties, hard- and softneck, but chefs prefer hardneck varieties for the higher flavor.

What matters most to you?

• Clove size + number of cloves (less cloves = larger cloves)
• Flavor when cooked vs. Flavor when eaten raw
• Heat is a property that only applies to raw garlic!

2007 Best Garlic in Town Contest Results (there are NO loosers!!!)

A team of judges - lead by Gino Mantuano - have made these comments about my garlic varieties (listed in order of final results also considering weight and color)

Please keep in mind that these cloves were tested raw - you be the judge of this garlic when cooked in your favorite dishes!

1	Italian Purple	Good garlic flavor with low heat and layers of flavors
2	Red Russian	Mild and sweet
3	Red Armanian	Sharp with no heat - flavor reminds of radishes
4	Georgian Fire	Mild, soft texture, no heat and neutral flavor
5	Swiss Rose	Pungent and sharp with little heat
6	Big Clove Romanian	Medium flavor and crisp texture

Which variety is Curzio's favorite?

I love the Big Clove Romanian roasted in the oven (40 min - 350F) as the garlic paste squeezes out of the skin like soft butter. The Swiss Rose is my favorite in salads, the Red Russian to marinate chicken and the Italian Purple for red pasta sauces.

These links take you to pages I have designed in the past with garlic growing tips and pictures of the garlic in different growing stages: