How to buy garlic: Choose garlic that has plump, firm bulbs. Look for bulbs with the roots still intact - imports from China often have the root shaved off. Avoid garlic that is soft or light in weight, as this is a sign of age or dehydration. Avoid garlic that is "sprouting," as it can add a bitter taste to food.

California varieties are usually off-white in color and roughly heart-shaped. Because of advanced storage techniques that allow the garlic to "sleep" in a cold environment, fresh California garlic is available year round. Tests prove that there is no loss in freshness, and no drop in BRIX levels or Allicin content, in garlic that comes from Christopher Ranch storage facilities.

How to store garlic: For best results, store garlic bulbs in a cool, dry place, or in the refrigerator. We do not recommend peeling garlic and placing it in olive oil for storage. This method can create a dangerous environment for toxins, and may pose a health risk. In fact, for optimal health benefits, we recommend not storing garlic at all - use the entire bulb for each meal!

Garlic farmed intelligently: Sporting flat, grayish-green leaves that can grow to two feet tall, the garlic (Allium Sativum) plant produces a pungent bulb underground. The bulb is composed of several sections called cloves, held together by a parchment-like skin. Since garlic concentrates a high level of minerals in its bulbs, crop rotation is a critical part of how we farm. We plant garlic on any particular field only once every four years, so that the soil has time to replenish its store of minerals. Garlic is a member of the lily family, and resembles its relative, the onion, in size and growth behaviors. Garlic is unique, however, in that it takes about nine months to mature. Depending on the variety, we begin our planting in late October, and harvest the first of the crop in June.