Black Garlic Day - day 40

Well, I interrupt my Wales postings to announce that today is Black Garlic Day. Yes for 40 days and 40 nights the 3 bulbs of garlic have been sat undisturbed, maturing away in the aga. I know a couple of my blogging friends have been as eager as me to see the results and oh dear, are you sitting down,... as predicted half way through, it hasn't worked.


Damn and drat that old aga! It hasn't been hot enough to ferment the bulbs to blackness. The pictures show the sequence of me taking it out and seeing they were still pretty white on the outside, to cutting one open and seeing it was just caramel coloured.


It had obviously matured a bit just with the amount of time in there but I'm not sure I'm going to keep it. I guess that at the higher and correct temperature there is no risk of bacteria but when something is sat in a luke warm environment for 40 days then I think it is more likely a breeding ground for bacteria so I think it's destined for the recycle bin. I did cut a bit to try and rather than tasting garlicky it now tastes sort of more oniony, like a really strong pickled shallot. Oddly enough, after you swallow you don't really have much of an aftertaste like you would with raw garlic.


Oh well, you've got to try these things. I will only attempt it one more time if the temperature is suitable after I get the aga serviced.