The Flavorful History of National Garlic Day

In garlic’s humble beginnings, Old World, Egyptian, and Indian cultures were the first to use garlic in their food. Following closely behind, the Babylonians began incorporating garlic into their diets 4,500 years ago. Hopping onto the best-smelling bandwagon, 2,500 years after the Babylonians, the Chinese started using garlic. While these areas of the world have been using garlic for thousands of years, it did not reach the Americas until the 1700s. It is believed that garlic first arrived in North America with Polish, German, and Italian settlers. While this may have been the introduction of garlic to America, it did not become wildly popular in the United States until 1989, when the Soviet Union fell. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and around two pounds of garlic are consumed each year by the average American!

Of course, garlic is used in a variety of dishes, but some people also use it for more superstitious traditions. If you are familiar at all with the vampire, you may be aware of its weakness: garlic. European folklore passed down from generation to generation shares the story that garlic is a powerful tool against demonic and evil spirits such as vampires. The tradition is practiced by wearing garlic around one’s neck, placing it around windows, or rubbing it on open household structures such as doors and chimneys. The belief is that if you keep garlic on or within these areas, you will repel evil beings from entering your home or causing harm to you. Whether you believe in the power of garlic or not, many people and cultures, especially in the Balkan region of Europe, count on garlic to protect them—just something to keep in mind next Halloween.