One of the first things to learn about cooking with garlic is how to buy the garlic. Many are tempted to buy one of those big “elephant” garlic bulbs. However, this is no substitute for the ordinary garden variety of garlic. You should always look for firm heads with a lot of the “papery” skin on it. Also, stay away from any bulbs that show sings of sprouting; these are more than likely past their prime in the flavor category. And as for the organic garlic, as with all our herbs and spices we cook with, we should always buy the best we can afford. 
When actually cooking with the garlic, be mindful that a single bulb of garlic can consist of 10 to 15 cloves of garlic so it is important to make sure you are using the amount called for in the recipe. Do not confuse cloves and bulbs. Given that garlic cloves vary in size, you should use the recipe as a guideline only. As you cook more with this herb, you will find that you will more than likely use more than is called for in the recipe.
To begin, strip off the papery film that covers the bulb and separate as many cloves as called for in the recipe. Each clove will have a fine pink/purple skin that must be removed. You can go the “gadget route” and buy a fancy garlic press, but I find the best way to crush garlic is with the flat side of my chef’s knife with a good rap of the fist. I think you will spend more time cleaning a garlic press than you saved by using it. After the “crush,” let the chopping begin. A rule of thumb here is the finer the chop, the more intense the flavor. When cooked whole, garlic tends to take on a milder, almost sweet taste. The taste of garlic will also mellow out the longer that it is cooked so cloves that are added near the end of the cooking cycle will have a stronger taste than that which is added earlier in the recipe.
When it comes to storing any unused garlic bulbs, you can preserve the taste and texture by storing them properly. Many people will store it in the crisper drawer of their refrigerator, not knowing that the cold temperature will spoil the taste as well as the texture. Garlic is best stored in a cool, dry place. I keep mine in an airtight container in a cabinet (not the one over the range). You may opt for the plastic baggie or one of the clay type garlic keepers, but if you go with the clay pot, be wary of the temperature in your kitchen if you keep it on the counter.
Lastly, if anyone has ever burned garlic, they know that there is NO way to mask it in the dish, so you might as well toss it out and start over. I like to add my garlic to cool oil in the pan and let it heat up with the oil. When I get the aroma, I know that it is time to either remove it or add other ingredients to cut down the heat.
Thanks for reading,
Chef Phil
