Garlic is life! It's National Garlic Day, celebrate the stinking rose

Chester Aaron’s ‘Garlic is Life’ inspired Doug Oster to let his garlic flag fly.

Chester Aaron’s book “Garlic is Life” is a classic and my favorite piece of garlic literature. His memoir (with recipes) begins locally in North Butler where he grew up. The prolific author is poetic when describing his youthful love of garlic in the book. “The explosion of sharp garlic pungency that invades the air settled in my ragged sweater and shirt, in my long winter underwear. Wherever I wandered, in the classroom, on the playground, or, at night, huddled beneath the blankets, I tasted garlic at the back of my throat.”

On National Garlic Day, I celebrate 96-year-old Chester Aaron, who made me realize my love of garlic wasn’t anything bad, but the reverse. Now I’m proud of my obsession and travel around to different events serving the most over-the-top garlic recipes I can think of. “Ultimate Garlic Lover’ Soup,” “Garlic, Tomato and Basil Soup,” “Super Garlic Sliders With Garlic Aioli” and others all have one thing in common: more garlic than “normal” people are interested in eating. That’s what brings the interest, a dish so far flung, so over the top and dosed with garlic, that people are drawn to it, many reluctantly trying it and, most often, falling in love as I have with the intense flavor.

Last March during the Duquesne Light Home and Garden Show I got off stage from my third appearance and hightailed it to Recipe for Hope, an event for Hair Peace, an amazing charity which helps women with cancer. The day before, I had made the Garlic, Tomato and Basil Soup using 100 cloves of garlic (get the recipe here). While tasting it, I wasn’t sure it had enough garlic until I gave a little to my son and wife, who have spent their lifetimes caught up in garlic with me. Their reaction confirmed the garlic level was up to snuff.

That night the participants walked by my table, reading the description of the dish. Some were disgusted, others were curious, and then there were all the garlic lovers embracing the recipe with unbridled enthusiasm. The dish even won a Perfect Plate award.

The next day, back at the Home and Garden Show, the first person I talked to after getting off the stage said, “Wow, you must have had some garlic today!” All I could do was smile and think of the great Chester Aaron, who unapologetically has gone through life smelling like a garlic farm. I hope I did him proud.

Doug Oster is editor of Everybody Gardens, a website operated by 535Media, LLC. Reach him at 412-965-3278 or doster@535mediallc.com. See other stories, videos, blogs, tips and more at everybodygardens.com.

‘Garlic is Life’ is a must read and can be purchased here.

Doug’s favorite garlic recipes.