Good morning!
We're back after a short break for Easter Week. I took advantage of the time to spend time in the countryside, and with family. I hope you also took the opportunity to rest, because today's newsletter is coming back like Campos del Abuelo this week: with everything!
Starting today, we are packing orders again, so you can reserve your harvest right now.
What I want to talk to you about today is a noble product that we grow in the garden. For me, it's a companion to all meals and a must-have on the shopping list. It's that little burst of flavor you always need, which is why I call it a true king. Can you guess what I'm talking about?
I'm talking about the noble and beloved garlic 🧄👑. At Campos del Abuelo, we have two types of garlic available: purple and black. Today I want to tell you about both, so let's get to it—I don't want to give anything else away just yet.
Of course, I must tell you, the garlic we have is grown by Jesús, our fellow farmer. And he grows it the way it has been done for generations: with thought, patience, and great respect for the land. There are no rushes or shortcuts here, and it shows. Because when you work with ancestral techniques like those Jesús applies, what you get is an authentic flavor and unrivaled quality.
Let's start with purple garlic, the classic you see above. With its intense purple skin, this is the garlic we all know, with a powerful but balanced flavor, ideal for adding just the right touch to stir-fries, roasts, or even raw if you're brave. It's a very resistant variety, and precisely because of this, it's the best candidate for producing something newer (and increasingly coveted): black garlic.
Now, pay attention. Black garlic is not a distinct variety, but the result of a natural process that is as surprising as it is elegant. It is made from purple garlic, which is carefully placed in chambers where temperature (up to 70°C) and humidity (around 80%) are precisely controlled for several weeks. Between 60 and 90 days, no more, no less.
Just look at how it turns out:
Jesús does it the way it has always been done, without additives, just with time, heat, and humidity. This, I recently learned, is what is known as a Maillard reaction, a natural process that transforms the sugars and amino acids in garlic, giving it its black color, a soft texture, and a sweet flavor reminiscent of figs or raisins.
The curious thing is that black garlic doesn't sting, doesn't repeat, and doesn't leave bad breath. However, its flavor is different: milder, fruity, slightly acidic, and very tasty. It's perfect for accompanying meats, fish, or simply spreading on toast.
Something curious? Not a few customers have been scared by black garlic, thinking it had gone bad, because it really looks very different from purple garlic. But once we tell them that's how it is, they are delighted. Therefore, it's important to remember that we are always here to answer any questions you may have.
Returning to the black delicacy. It's a luxury that comes directly from our land, without the need to import anything from abroad.
But still, purple garlic remains a marvel. It has its place, its flavor, and its history. We could almost say that purple garlic is the tireless worker of the kitchen, and black garlic, its refined Sunday version.
And the best part is knowing that behind both there is someone like Jesús, who continues to sow and harvest with the techniques of his ancestors, taking care of what matters and giving it the value it deserves.
When you eat one of his garlics, you not only taste a quality product, but you are also supporting a way of doing things that is disappearing, but that, fortunately, some of us are still keeping alive 🌱.
Thank you for being on the other side, see you next week.
A big hug!
