It smells incredible (and will certainly taste fantastic too). Forage safely and responsibly if you’re going out to get some yourself!
Edit: a specific note on safety for wild garlic, it is quite easy to confuse with lily of the valley, which is toxic if you eat it. You can tell them apart - most obviously because the one you’re after smells of garlic - but take care that you are confident in doing so
Some advice on identifying them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiDnaNrD1Bo
It grows all around here, are there any recipes it works especially well with, or can it just be used as a replacement for garlic in recipes?
The flavour is similar enough to garlic that it works in most of the same contexts, although in my experience it is even more vulnerable to burning than regular garlic so take care with the heat and cooking time. To be honest though I usually just like to mix it with some butter and have it on bread or potatoes, something plain with a nice texture to let the wild garlic shine
That stuff tastes amazing and can be used in so many tasty ways! I love it!
Forage safely
PSA for whoever didn’t know before: Before blooming, it can be mistaken with Lily of the valley - which you definitely do not want to eat.
I should actually specify that in the post, you’re right
Well that’s a new one. I’ve heard penstock, race and flume but it seems lade is the Scottish version.
You want to harvest it before it flowers, ideally (it loses a lot of flavour once it’s flowered).
I’ve seen lily of the valley in the same area, I’m not taking my chances. It certainly still tastes good!
You can distinguish them, if you’re brave or desperate - young LotW grows 2 leaves from 1 stem, axially rolled up. Wild garlic grows each leaf from a separate stem, not rolled up, and it smells like itself.
And in this photo, it’s in bloom. The flowers look and smell completely different.
Oh, sorry, what I meant was that I won’t take my chances picking it before it’s in bloom. I did get myself a good harvest when I took the photo, my kitchen smells wonderful just now
