The stinking rose of Abbotsford: Local garlic and how to make the most of it

Abdul Majid is on a mission to civilize garlic lovers.

"I'd hate to use the word crusade, but I'd like to think if I could educate the public about this, about garlic and the different varieties and the benefits of it, l would think I have achieved something in my life," the Abbotsford farmer told Margaret Gallagher, guest host of North by Northwest.

Majid became a garlic farmer after the 2008 recession claimed his job building architectural models, but his obsession with the fragrant bulb goes back to his earliest memories of eating his mother's hot garlic chutney.

After going back to school for horticulture and honing his skills in the field over five years, he started B.C. Garlic Growers and now sows 28 varieties of the "stinking rose" in Abbotsford.

Like wine

Most of the garlic we import to Canada comes from China, where it is grown industrially, according to Majid.

He grows hardneck varieties of garlic, of which there are many. In industrial operations, softer plants are preferred for harvesting, but there aren't many softneck varieties to choose from, said Majid.

Like wine, garlic can develop a terroir — a profile of flavour and characteristics informed by the soil and environment — the subtleties of which Majid is happy to share with curious customers at the farmers market.

Whether you go home with a classic red Russian or bulbs of turban, Asiatic or artichoke garlic, Majid said it's important to know how to select quality garlic and store it properly.

First , squeeze the bulb in your hand, he said. If it is soft at all, that's an indicator that the garlic is too old or wasn't cured well enough after it was harvested.

"It needs to be rock hard, really tight. You should be able to see the cloves forming. It shouldn't be round — that means the cloves are immature and it's been pulled out of the ground too early," he said.

When garlic comes out of the ground the oils are still very harsh to taste and it takes time for more desirable flavour to develop.

"It would be a crime to have the German red as soon as it comes out of the field," he explained at his booth at the Main Street Station Farmers Market, in Vancouver.

"You're just wasting it, because it requires three weeks or four weeks of curing for it to settle down."

Never, ever, put it in the fridge

Storing garlic is also a lot like storing wine. Majid suggests keeping it in a cool place with plenty of ventilation and a slight humidity to keep it from drying out.

"Never put it in the fridge," he said. That triggers germination in the bulb, which will start sprouting once it's back at room temperature.

For the most part Majid said Canadians are not used to paying for the true cost of growing organic or specialized garlic, which take more effort to grow.

"We got used to this idea of cheap food, basically," he said.

"The other day my dentist was saying, 'Why is your garlic so expensive?' I was about to turn around and tell him, 'You know what, why are you so expensive? I could go to Cuba and it would be really cheap.'"

Majid grows hundreds of thousands of bulbs each season and puts a lot of work into ensuring the bulbs are the best they can be.

"Each and every bulb goes through my hands,"

"It's in the ground for nine months and over, like a baby. We actually pamper our garlic. Then, the next two months are spent curing it, taking care of it every day, so it's a long process."

While it took him a few tries to find this calling, Majid said he can't imagine his life without garlic now.

"Without garlic? Food without garlic? That's a horrible thought," he said.

With files from North by Northwest's Margaret Gallagher