What is a Garlic Scape?.... glad you asked!

Well it has been a while since I have posted..the summer garden is still slowly producing. We have been getting many potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, onions, zucchini, cucumbers and many other veggies. We are getting ready to plant our fall garden.

I really wanted to write about going to a friends house and what she served me...garlic scape. This is very new to me and I was really surprised how good it was. What is a garlic scape?
Scape's are the flower stalk found on onions, garlic, chives and leeks. Most people cut these off and throw them into the compost pile. My friend cuts them off and uses them or freezes them.

When the Garlic scape's are full and become a full curl she snaps this off just like you would asparagus. Make sure you pick these at least two weeks before budding they will not taste as good after they bloom.

You can use these in soup or salads or just about in any of your favorite recipes.

My friend made a Garlic Scape Pesto which she did use frozen scape which was good but I would imagine fresh would have tasted even better!

Here is her recipe:

Garlic Scape Pesto

1/4 pound garlic scapes

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup grated paresan cheese

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

a bit of salt

Puree garlic scape's and olive oil in a blender until smooth.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and lime juice and salt if you like.

She put this over pasta and it was so good!!

Next year I will be growing garlic and I will cut off the scape's for me to use in my kitchen and not the compost bin!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn