Sunday, April 19, 2020

April 19 - National Garlic Day


Happy National Garlic Day! Each year on April 19, today celebrates a vegetable also known as the stinking rose. The fragrant and potent root has been seasoning dishes for thousands of years. 
  
Garlic species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion. 

The bulb is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use. 
  
This stinking rose is a member of the lily family. This family also includes onions, leeks, and shallots. While garlic originated in Asia over seven thousand years ago, it is used in a variety of cuisines.  

Garlic is quite versatile as well. It is also used for medicinal purposes. The mighty bulb is considered an herbal remedy for colds and may reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Modern science has also proven garlic’s antibiotic properties. 

Myth and superstition reek of garlic. The most familiar one suggests that garlic wards off vampires. This same theory seemed to work on witches, werewolves, demons and other such evils one could come across.  

Folklore also tells us garlic grew from satan’s left footprint when he left the Garden of Eden; Greek midwives kept evils spirits away with it, and courage filled Roman soldiers who consumed the bulb.  

Consider our dreams and garlic, too. Our dreams often have meaning. Dreaming of garlic is no different. 

To dream about garlic in the house suggests good luck and if the dream includes eating garlic (perhaps in a pesto sauce), there might be hidden secrets. Over three hundred varieties of garlic grow around the world to dream about as well!  

Gilroy, California claims to be the Garlic Capital of the World.  

American stage and film actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator from Oklahoma Will Rogers was once quoted as saying it is “…the only place in America where you can marinate a steak just by hanging it out on a clothesline.” 

Rogers was once quoted as saying that it is “…the only place in America where you can marinate a steak just by hanging it out on a clothesline.” (Did you read my previous post? It's not just for clothes anymore, apparently). 

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is one of the largest food festivals in the United States, held annually in Gilroy, California on the last full weekend in July at Christmas Hill Park. The 41st Garlic Festival was held on July 26–28, 2019. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Celebrate the day by cooking a terrific meal with garlic or possibly attend one of the many garlic festivals around the world. Use #NationalGarlicDay to share on social media. 

HISTORY 

National Day Calendar® continues researching the origins of this flavorful food holiday. 

If you suffer from alliumphobia, please feel free to skip this 
random holiday. 

#NationalGarlicDay 
@garlicfestival 
@nichecinema

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