So I finally got my hands on a couple bulbs of black garlic.  When I was searching for it months ago, I couldn’t find it, and when I’m not looking for it, it just pops out of nowhere.  Nowhere being Whole Foods.  Black garlic is created by fermenting garlic for a month under a special process where the meat softens, turns black, and the flavor mellows out into a sweet, yet light  tangy taste.

I took one bulb out of the package and brought it to my nose.  After a prolonged sniff, it reminded me of something familiar.  It was at the tip of my tongue, and after a few minutes of deep thinking, I had it.  It smelled just like Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Garlic Sauce!  While I can’t say the flavors of the two products taste the the same, they do turn out to be similar, since the jarred sauce contains fermented black beans and garlic.

Here’s a look at the packaging.  The actual color of the garlic bulbs aren’t white, but are more brown and caramelized, similar to that of roasted garlic.

Black garlic is quite palatable eaten raw, but can still be used in cooking as well.  Chances of coming across them in a store might be difficult, but it looks like Whole Foods is one of the company’s selected resellers.  Check out Black Garlic, Inc for more information.

A package of Black Garlic contains 2 medium-sized bulbs (about 36g) and costs $2.99.