Garlic

The joys of going it alone Thank you for a fantastic issue, "Navigating Solo," and especially the advice for single travelers ["Singular Journeys" by Jane Engle, Aug. 1]. I always recommend Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) as an excellent way for single women to travel. My assigned roommate on one trip became a long-term travel companion. On Amtrak, riders sit with other travelers to fill up the tables, and this can be very pleasant too. I enjoyed every page; keep up the good work.

  Plum ketchup Total time: About 11/2 hours Servings: Makes about 10 (8-ounce) jars Note: Adapted from Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections. Sweet smoked paprika and Marash pepper are available at specialty spice stores. 1 pound Roma tomatoes 4 pounds Santa Rosa plums or other black-skinned plums 3 cups brown sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 red onion, diced 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika 1 teaspoon Marash pepper 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon molasses 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. Peel the tomatoes: With a sharp paring knife, cut a small X at the base of each tomato.

Lori Guerriero was on her knees cooing at and cajoling 14-month-old Alexis Garcia, the son of a friend, to smile at her while she tried to take his picture. Alexis was much more interested in me, though, a stranger with his own camera trying to capture some of the splashes of beauty at Syngenta seed farm here in the southern reaches of the Santa Clara Valley. It is a blindingly pretty spot. Despite the sci-fi sounding name, Syngenta is a major world producer of flower seeds. The farm at the western edge of Gilroy used to be the locally owned Goldsmith Seeds, a name familiar to home gardeners, before it was bought out two years ago. On this crisp morning, with the sun climbing above the Diablo Range to the east, the flowers were in full bloom, a blazing display of one small piece of the Gilroy region's efforts to build a local agri-tourism business.

Mofongos Comida Caribena is easy to spot: a bright dab of orange on a drab strip of Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood full of car dealerships and auto body repair shops. It smells absolutely amazing; a blast of garlic and pork and sweet frying plantains hits you about 5 feet away from the door. It's small inside, and warm, and the waitress may wave wildly if she recognizes you. This is one of the sweetest-feeling spots in Los Angeles. The key dish here is mofongo , traditionally a mash of fried plantains, garlic and pork cracklings.

  Dear Culinary SOS: I'm not one for tomato soups, but I was at the Lumberyard in Laguna Beach the other day and had the most marvelous tomato bisque. Do you think you could get the chef to part with the recipe? Marcia Tulledge Beaumont Dear Marcia: Lumberyard Restaurant was happy to share its recipe, which we've adapted below. We loved the combination of flavors in this soup, the deep tomato flavor complemented by the roasted peppers and garlic, rich with cream and brightened with lemon juice and a good dose of fresh basil.

Dear SOS: Please, please print the recipe for the creamy garlic dressing served on Milton's special house chopped salad at Milton's restaurant in Del Mar. It is soooo yummy. Jill Lamour San Diego Dear Jill: This rich ranch-style dressing takes no prisoners when it comes to garlic flavor. Paired with a colorful chopped salad, it makes for a flavorful meal that's simple to prepare. Milton's special house chopped salad with creamy garlic dressing Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Adapted from Milton's Restaurant Delicatessen.

Whole wheat spaghetti with green garlic and fried egg Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Green garlic is available seasonally from farmers markets and select well-stocked supermarkets. 1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti 8 stalks green garlic, halved lengthwise, washed, dried and sliced thinly lengthwise 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 eggs, at room temperature Coarsely grated black pepper Sea salt 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente, about 9 minutes, or according to the instructions on the package.

Green garlic soup with strangolapretti Total time: 35 minutes, plus 15 minutes resting time for the strangolapretti Servings: 4 Note: Adapted from Evan Funke, executive chef at Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen. Green garlic is available seasonally from farmers markets and select well-stocked supermarkets. Dumplings 2 green garlic stalks, greens only 1 tablespoon olive oil 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1 cup toasted coarse bread crumbs 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 2 tablespoons flour 1/4 cup ricotta 3 eggs 1. Cut the green tops from the green garlic stalks, wash them in plenty of cold water and drain well.

Long before "Twilight" and "True Blood" and the Modern Age of Vampires, garlic was used as a talisman: a panacea against bad spirits in the Middle Ages and against illness during the Crusades. Even those of us who happily load our soups and stews with dozens of the pale cloves can tell why it was hung across doorways to prevent entrance. Mature garlic can be overwhelming, even relentless; a single raw clove minced on a board is capable of determining the course of an entire meal, whether you want it to or not. But imagine garlic without its bite, the autocracy of its properties calmed, even made subtle.

Sockeye salmon with green garlic and favas Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Sockeye salmon is available from fish markets and select well-stocked markets. Green garlic is available seasonally from farmers markets and select well-stocked supermarkets. 2 pounds whole fava beans 4 (5-ounce) skin-on fillets sockeye salmon Salt and pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cups thinly sliced green garlic, from about 4 stalks cleaned and sliced crosswise (both white and green parts)