Gilroy Garlic Festival was this past Fri, Sat & Sun. Plenty to eat and lots of entertainment. Garlic everything including wine and ice cream. I didn't get to go this year due the horse show but here is a picture of one of the Pyro Chefs putting the finishing touches on a batch of Gilroy Garlic Festival Calamari in Gourmet Alley on Friday.
Now that, my friend, is what cooking is all about! Had a chance to go to the festival in '03 (I had honestly dreamt of going for the 10 years prior!) And I learned 2 things: Garlic is the world's most versatile food (if you like garlic!). Leave the kids at home or the hotel. I have not been that hot since then! It was so hot they were giving out bottles of water at the line to the shuttle bus! (not something they normally do) "The Devil walked upon the Earth Where his left foot stepped, garlic grew. Nevertheless, it is good for food" --Something I read in Chilepepper magazine years ago
I wish I could come out to Gilroy for the Gilory Garlic Festival. So I'll settle for the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties, NY on September 29-30. Due to rain, attendence was down a bit, 36,000 last year from 46,000 the year before. It's a 45 minute drive from my house with my wife driving and a little faster if I could. We have a great time! Plant in October, harvest in July. For Joe : Garlic ice cream is great! http://hvgf,org
Just because the festival is over doesn't mean that everyone should not make a pilgrimage to Gilroy. The festival is great, don't get me wrong, but 90% of what you can get at the festival is available there almost year-round. As a lover of the stinky rose, I almost had an accident when I drove around the curve and saw Garlic World! My wife, bless her heart, couldn't understand. Get to Gilroy, go to Garlic World (or the garlic shoppe) and take in the wonder that is garlic! Then, if they are in season, run (carefully!) across the road and load up on cherries. You can then die happy. Rich, I love your town! If not for the heat (and being in the PRC), I would settle there when I got out. If for nothing else than to smell the garlic in the air for three months out of the year!
Yes, we do get into 100+ days here. But once the sun goes down so does the heat. Two days out of the year require A/C during sleep. Usually a nice high 50 low 60 during sleep time. Mid 80 to low 90 during the days right now. Only place you can hang a steak out in the morning and have it marinated by the time you get home at night for the grill.