Ail Rose de Lautrec - Pink Garlic - FABULOUS! Community Forums - p1

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:31 pm

Food.com Groupie

Ail Rose de Lautrec

If you've never heard of pink garlic, you're in for a treat. Ail rose de Lautrec is not only beautiful, it's also delicious.

The romantic image of garlic bunches nonchalantly hanging from a kitchen ceiling or wall has gotten a little tastier thanks to ail rose de Lautrec. Its tightly packed bulbs tinged with the slightest blush of pink are usually woven into decorative bouquets or manouilles. Dried flowers are often tucked neatly between the bulbs giving the garlic bunches an even higher aesthetic quality. But the beauty of ail rose de Lautrec goes beyond its appearance.

Pink Garlic History
The story of pink garlic dates back to the middle ages when it first appeared in the region of Tarn. During the 19th century, it was sold at the local markets of Mazamet, Castres en Albi but it wasn�t until the 1950�s, however, that the cultivation of pink garlic really took off. In 1959, small- scale producers making it their mission to deliver a superior product, established the Syndicat de D�fense du Label Rouge Ail Rose de Lautrec. By 1966, pink garlic had obtained the Label Rouge certification guaranteeing optimum quality ensured by stringent methods of production.

The Production of Pink Garlic
Today there are 360 hectares in Tarn producing between 400 and 800 tons of pink garlic per year. The garlic is planted during the months of December and January and harvested at the end of June. It is then allowed a minimum drying time of two weeks before the roots are removed and the garlic is peeled down to the last layer of its skin. The final step involves the calibration of the garlic and the packaging or tying into its signature bunches.

A Unique Taste Perfect in a Creamy Soup
Ail rose de Lautrec is loved for its delicately sweet, subtle taste. Compared to white garlic, pink garlic is much milder and therefore less likely to overpower a dish. If stored in a dry, well- ventilated area with a temperature between 12�C - 15 �C, the garlic will remain firm and fragrant for at least six months and up to a year. You can use pink garlic like you would any other garlic but it is especially suitable for dishes which allow its unique flavor to shine through. A perfect example would be this quick and easy pink garlic cream soup. It is not the original one served during the yearly Pink Garlic Festival in August, but it is delicious nonetheless.

Pink Garlic Cream Soup
Serves 4- 6

By Paola Westbeek.
Pink Garlic Cream Soup Recipe: Delicious Ail Rose de Lautrec and http://frenchcuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/pink_garlic#ixzz0gdf64mgx

Ingredients:

�1.5 L vegetable bouillon
�175 g cr�me fra�che
�10 pink garlic cloves, finely sliced
�finely chopped parsley or fennel fronds, to serve

Directions:

1.Bring the bouillon to the boil and add the finely sliced pink garlic. Turn down the heat to a simmer and allow the soup to cook gently for five minutes.
2.Add the cr�me fra�che, whisking it in thoroughly.
3.Allow the soup to simmer for another minute or two, whisk again and serve immediately with the chopped parsley.

By Paola Westbeek.
Pink Garlic Cream Soup Recipe: Delicious Ail Rose de Lautrec and http://frenchcuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/pink_garlic#ixzz0gdf64mgx

Last edited by French Tart on Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:12 pm, edited 3 times in total

Rita~

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:41 pm

Forum Host

Beautiful!
I have seen garlic with pink going threw the paper skins. Not sure if it`s the same.

French Tart

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:45 pm

Food.com Groupie

~Rita~ wrote:
Beautiful!
I have seen garlic with pink going threw the paper skins. Not sure if it`s the same.

There is violet garlic too Rita! This garlic is also pink inside too! I have a BIG bunch, will post more photos and more recipes!

Chef Kate

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:50 pm

Forum Host

Here's a link to an article from 2002 ny times http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/25/dining/food-stuff-a-pink-garlic-from-france-so-strong-that-others-pale.html?pagewanted=1

I don't know how the prices compare---but not too 'cher'

French Tart

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:52 pm

Food.com Groupie

Chef Kate wrote:
Here's a link to an article from 2002 ny times http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/25/dining/food-stuff-a-pink-garlic-from-france-so-strong-that-others-pale.html?pagewanted=1

I don't know how the prices compare---but not too 'cher'

My tresse (12 bulbs) cost me �4 Kate - so a little cheaper! I am experimenting with my booty this weekend!

French Tart

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:54 pm

Food.com Groupie

The Pink Garlic Fair, Lautrec, France

When your region is famous for the unusual colour of its garlic, surely the only thing to do is organise a festival around it. That's what the French Pyrenees town of Lautrec has been doing since the seventies. This event, on the first Friday in August, celebrates 'l'Ail Rose' (pink garlic). First up (at 8.30am), is the 'artistic arrangement' competition, for works of art made from the bulbs, grains, leaves, skin and roots of pink garlic (it's open to everyone, so get cracking).

Then there's a garlic market and a free tasting of the Lautrec Pink Garlic soup. In the afternoon another competition is held to see who can make the longest garlic bunch (current record: 21.75 metres). But if you're not competitive, don't worry. All day long they run a regional products market, while in the evening you can tuck into a giant cassoulet, then dance to music from a local band.

Rita~

Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:11 pm

Forum Host

French Tart wrote:
The Pink Garlic Fair, Lautrec, France

When your region is famous for the unusual colour of its garlic, surely the only thing to do is organise a festival around it. That's what the French Pyrenees town of Lautrec has been doing since the seventies. This event, on the first Friday in August, celebrates 'l'Ail Rose' (pink garlic). First up (at 8.30am), is the 'artistic arrangement' competition, for works of art made from the bulbs, grains, leaves, skin and roots of pink garlic (it's open to everyone, so get cracking).

Then there's a garlic market and a free tasting of the Lautrec Pink Garlic soup. In the afternoon another competition is held to see who can make the longest garlic bunch (current record: 21.75 metres). But if you're not competitive, don't worry. All day long they run a regional products market, while in the evening you can tuck into a giant cassoulet, then dance to music from a local band.

NOW!!!!! I know why I love the cassoulet so much. And I love the Pyrenees even more now. I wish I could be there for the festival.