What is it? It's hard to find a word to rhyme with garlic, but that doesn't stop its devotees from waxing poetic about this squat member of the Allium family, the same family that includes onions. That beautiful bulb, flowering with clove upon clove upon clove. Pull one "bulblet" away from the rest and shuck off its paper-like sheath to reveal the firm white or pinky flesh beneath. Easily chopped, grated, sliced, or crushed, garlic pitches its savoury and spicy flavour to cuisines around the world. And that odour!

Ancient Egyptians are said to have taken advantage of the pungent scent of garlic, munching on a clove before going out at night - the resulting garlicky breath and noxious burps were believed to ward off evil spirits.

What is it good for? Beyond its somewhat "mystical" reputation, garlic has long been appreciated for its medicinal and therapeutic potential. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek known as the "father of medicine" prescribed garlic to treat a multitude of illnesses - and this was way back around 400 BC.

In modern times, garlic has been touted as a cholesterol-buster. Garlic may help to lower LDL "bad" cholesterol levels and to protect against the blood vessel damage that excess LDL cholesterol can cause. Antioxidants found in garlic may also help to reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancer, though more research is required.

What does it taste like? Garlic is a singular flavour. Nothing comes near it. Depending on the type of garlic you find, the taste that will hit your tongue will range from mild and mellow to complex, at turns hot and biting and even a bit sweet. Eating garlic is like a party for the palate. On the mild side, you could try the sweeter purple- or pink-skinned variety or the large-cloved "elephant" garlic with its mellower, leek-like flavour. White-skinned garlic is the most common variety - and the most pungent.

Though garlic's flavour is singular, its uses are many. Sauté it, purée and blend it into dip, press it for use in salad dressings, roast the whole bulb, or eat a clove raw! Pressed garlic will yield a stronger taste than when it's chopped, grated, or sliced. After cutting into a clove, leave it to sit in the air for 15 minutes or so. To get the most of garlic's potential benefits, choose a fresh bulb unmarred by brown spots, dampness, or skin punctures. Once the skin is nicked, the clove can quickly go bad. Garlic should be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place.

Amy Toffelmire