While perusing Instagram for the 72nd straight minute the other day, I came across a post by The Kitchn illustrating what produce is in season right now. And out of the 8 items drawn, I’ve only eaten 4 of them!
So this week, I started making my way down the list by trying what I believe to be the most exotic item on the list: garlic scapes!
The fact that I happened to notice them at Whole Foods just last week and wondered what you could possibly do with such unruly green tangles may have also swayed my decision.
So after Googling what to do with garlic scapes—and nixing the scape pesto that Google told me would take a few weeks in the freezer to mellow—I opted for a simple grilled preparation.
First impression: these are funny looking, and I enjoy that.
Second impression: these are highly impractical to cut on a cutting board. The amusing curly-q appearance was less cute when trying to cut them to grill-pan-shaped lengths.
But part of The Picky Eater Chronicles is to stop judging books by their cover, so last night, I simmered some rice, fried some Mongolian beef, and grilled some shishito peppers with my freshly cut scapes.
The verdict
To be honest, there’s not a whole lot to say about these other than they were yummy. Just as Google promised, they were a delicious cross between garlic and asparagus—what’s not to like?
Of course, they’re a little harder to get your hands on than garlic or asparagus, but that’s what makes them e.x.o.t.i.c.
All in all, these were a solid green veggie that I would certainly eat again if given the chance. Would I buy and cook these again? Unlikely—I’m still not over the mess on my cutting board.
But if I saw garlic scapes on a menu somewhere, my instinct would not be to avoid that menu item! So that’s a win!
Next week, I’ll try to cross something else off that in-season list of mine. Any theories on what’s next? Leave your guesses in the comments below or on Instagram @thepickyeaterchronicles!
The Picky Eater Chronicles 