Latest news with #garlic
CBS News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Gilroy Garlic Festival returns for first time since 2019 mass shooting
For 40 years, the Gilroy Garlic Festival was a Bay Area tradition, making one small farming community world famous. But it all came to a halt in 2019 when a gunman opened fire on the crowd. Now, six years later, the event is back up and running. It was one of the most popular and unlikely events anyone could imagine: a celebration of a plant with such a strong smell that it was known as the "stinking rose." "Prior to 1979, garlic was sort of in the closet, right? And it wasn't until we started having a garlic festival that garlic came out of the closet and became a mainstream, very popular ingredient used for cooking," said Greg Bozzo, a former festival president. Over the years, the Gilroy Garlic Festival didn't just promote a pungent vegetable; it put the city on the map. At its height, 80,000 people attended the three-day event until 2019 when a lone gunman entered the grounds and began shooting people with an assault rifle. He was killed in less than a minute, but three festival goers, including two children, died and 17 others were wounded. The resulting lawsuits and insurance hikes shut the celebration down until this weekend. "This is a staple, right? Everybody from the Bay Area comes to Gilroy for this festival," said visitor Cheryl Weiland. "So, when it shut down, everybody was really sad. Now, it's like the first time back in the original venue, and we just had to come." Actually, it was a brand new venue. The event was taking up one corner of the Gilroy Gardens theme park. The space can only hold about 3,000 people, roughly one-tenth of the old crowd, but the tickets sold out in about six hours. "We're definitely going to try to grow it," said current festival president, Paul Nadeau. "This is a first step forward, so after being in kind of hiatus for the last five years, we're really starting to brush off the dust on our boots and making sure that we grow this responsibly." Organizers said growing the event will probably require another change of location, and they are not ruling out a return to the original venue at Christmas Hill Park. "What happened there six years ago is something that should never happen to anybody," said Bozzo. "So, as we look forward to future festivals, we want to continue celebrating garlic in this community. But as we move forward, we will never forget the past." Bozzo's family had been part of the event since its beginning and was on scene when the shooting occurred. He recently was elected mayor on a promise to restore and preserve the festival. Now, visitors once again feasted on all kinds of garlic-infused foods, from pasta and French fries to unorthodox items like ice cream, kettle corn and even garlic beer. But Bozzo said it was the people themselves who were changing the fortunes of the festival and the city. "You have helped us come back," he said, "and instead of being remembered for something bad that happened to us, we will now be known for how we responded to it. And I thank everybody for that." It's always so much harder to build something than it is to destroy it. The town was shaken by a random act of madness, and it's taking some time to get its feet back under it. But the determination to reclaim their beloved tradition shows that the scent of garlic isn't the only thing that's strong in Gilroy.
CBC
17-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Juicy sirloin steak kebabs with pineapple and halloumi are the new star of grilling season
These juicy kebabs begin with sirloin steak marinated overnight in a savoury-sweet blend of soy sauce, garlic and pineapple juice, which help to tenderize this inexpensive cut of beef* while adding a ton of flavour. The meat is then threaded onto skewers with summer vegetables, sweet pineapple and salty halloumi, creating a delicious mix of tastes and textures. Perfect for grilling season, these kebabs make an easy, crowd-pleasing meal that's both satisfying and fun to eat. Note: Sirloin tip steak can be tough when grilled without marination. If you're low on time or prefer to grill without marinating, you can substitute beef tenderloin or rib-eye. Ingredients 500 g beef sirloin tip steak, cut into ¾- to 1-inch cubes* 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 cup pineapple juice 2 tbsp olive oil 200 g halloumi cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes 1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces ½ large zucchini, halved and cut into ¼ inch half moons 1 cup pineapple, cut into ½-inch cubes Red onion salad: ½ small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 tsp sumac ¼ cup microgreens or finely chopped parsley Preparation Add meat to a large bowl and mix with garlic, soy sauce and pineapple juice. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.* When ready to cook, remove steak from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes. Thread the beef, halloumi, vegetables and pineapple onto wooden or metal skewers, adding two pieces of vegetable, pineapple or halloumi between each piece of beef. Heat a grill or large griddle on high and brush the surface with olive oil. Working in batches if needed, place the skewers on the grill and cook on all sides, rotating every 2 to 3 minutes, for a total of 8 to 12 minutes. Use a flat spatula to slowly and gently flip the skewers to prevent the halloumi and pineapple from sticking. Once cooked, place kebabs on a large platter, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with red onion salad.
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
How to make baba ganoush – recipe
Public service announcement: baba ganoush does not require smoked paprika, acidity regulators or indeed any kind of preservative beyond lemon juice. There are some dips I will happily buy – tzatziki, taramasalata, even hummus, with due caution – but tubs of this smoky Middle Eastern aubergine dish always seem to be slimy and underpowered in comparison with the real freshly made deal. Prep 15 min Drain 30 minCook 40 min Serves 2-4 2 large aubergines (about 650g)2 tbsp tahini Juice of 1 lemon, plus a little extra to finish2 garlic cloves, peeled1 small bunch mint, or flat-leaf parsley, leaves pickedSalt, to taste1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil The key here is to blacken the aubergines over a high heat until the skin chars and the flesh roasts. The easiest and best way to do this is on a barbecue, but if you have a gas hob, you can also do it on there. Alternatively, use an overhead grill or hot oven, but doing so means you'll miss out on some of that gorgeously smoky flavour. Whichever approach you choose, prick the aubergines all over with a fork, so steam can escape while they're charring. If using a barbecue, put them on a lightly greased grill over a high heat and keep an eye on them, turning until the skin is papery and burnt, and the flesh has collapsed. Do the same if using an overhead grill. If you're using a gas hob, put the aubergines directly on the flame, turning as required. If the aubergines are very wide, you can finish cooking them through in a hot oven – 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9 – or bake them from scratch at the same temperature for about 40 minutes. If you have a blowtorch, it's an idea to scorch them first. Slit open the aubergines lengthways, then scoop out the long strands of soft flesh from the inside; discard the skins. Put the flesh in a sieve and, ideally, leave it to drain over the sink or a bowl for about 30 minutes, because that will give you a chunkier, more full-flavoured result. Alternatively, squeeze the flesh over the sieve to get rid of excess water. Meanwhile, put the tahini in a medium bowl (if it's separated in the jar, which is absolutely normal, give it a good stir to reincorporate the oil first) and stir in the lemon juice; the mix will seize when you first add it, but keep stirring and it will soon loosen up. Puree the garlic (with a crusher, mortar or heavy knife) and add to the tahini mix. Strip the mint leaves from the stems (or trim the coarser stalks from flat-leaf parsley), then roughly chop until you have about three tablespoons' worth. Stir two-thirds of the herbs into the tahini mixture, and save the rest as garnish. Mash the drained aubergine strands gently with a fork, just to break up the long strands and make it easier to scoop up and eat without the need for a knife. Season with a little salt, then stir into the tahini mixture. Taste and adjust for salt or lemon juice, if it needs it. Transfer to a serving bowl, if necessary, then top with the remaining herbs and a scattering of pomegranate seeds (though definitely not required, they do look very pretty. Alternatively, add a little grated lemon zest or some chilli flakes for a dash of extra colour – up to you). Pour a moat of oil around the edge of the baba ganoush, then serve with warm flatbreads and other assorted meze, or with grilled meat. If you're not eating it immediately, cover and keep at room temperature for a few hours, or in the fridge (minus the garnish, which should be added fresh) for up to three days. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Air-fryer crispy belly pork
This easy recipe uses a salt crust to achieve the crunchiest crackling and is such a family favourite that it earns the air fryer a place on my kitchen counter just on its own. Overview Prep time 15 mins Cook time 1 hr 30 mins Serves 4 Ingredients 700g belly pork, skin scored 6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved 2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder 3 tbsp fine sea salt 3 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp crispy chilli oil (available from Ocado) Cooked rice or noodles and steamed greens, to serve Method Step Using a small, sharp knife, make deep incisions in the flesh of 700g belly pork and push in 6 halved garlic cloves. Dust the flesh generously with 2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder (you may find it easier to do this on a board or piece of baking parchment). Turn over the pork and sprinkle 3 tbsp fine sea salt over the rind so it sits in a relatively even 2mm layer. Step Heat the air fryer to 160C. Place the joint in a suitable dish and air fry for 1 hour. During this time, the salt will have formed a hard crust that lifts away from the skin at the edges. Using a small palette knife, lift off the salt layer and discard. Step Return the pork to the air fryer for a further 30 minutes at 205C (or as high as your machine will go) until the skin is crunchy and dark golden and the meat is completely cooked through.
Washington Post
01-07-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
Garlic as a mosquito repellent? Here's what the science says.
Is it true that eating garlic or rubbing it on the skin can repel mosquitoes? It sounds plausible that garlic — a plant known for its pungent odor — would repel mosquitoes. Eating garlic, for instance, might seem like an easy way to ward off the pesky insects. 'But it doesn't quite do what you would think garlic would do, with it being so smelly,' said Daniel Markowski, a technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association.
