Sorry to hear that

Hi, just finished a batch myself! I had guests over for lunch two hours before it was due to be done so I opened it early before their very eyes and we spread it, still warm on crostini. They bought a machine the next day 😄. I generally let it cure for a few weeks in the open air, then put half in the freezer (individually wrapped) and the other half in a jar in the fridge as you suggested. With curing, it loses its spreadability but gains in sliceability! I would love to know how yours turns out. And I’m sure we’d ALL love to know any uses you’ve found for it, so please do tell! 🙏🏻 PS, summer is the only time I can keep the machine outside and therefore the only time I make black garlic, so I generally do 2 or 3 batches. 3 batches lasts me a year, considering there are only two of us on the one hand but we always give it away as gifts. Refrigerated, it’s still just as good a year down the line.

@@VelvetandToads Your courtesy is astounding. Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I took mine out of the cooker just now. Not sure what I was expecting, but I was a little disappointed with the results. I had read about sweet gummy bears, but mine, though they were plenty black, seemed quite sour. With a medium strong garlicy aftertaste. Never understood the concept of savory, so maybe its just my palate. One possibility I am toying with is the concept of garbage in, garbage out. I bought these garlic heads at the mercado de abastos, which is like the open-air market for foods and such run by independants. A very cool place. At my favorite spice and chilis shop, I got these large garlic heads. I don't know where they come from, and I don't know when they were picked, but these places usually go through a lot of product in a short time, so they are usually pretty fresh. But who knows. I do know they were nothing like your fresh garlic with all the entrails attached. Could the lack of super freshness be the reason for the sour aftertaste? People thought I was crazy anyway for doing this. I fear if I share the wealth, their perception of me will be even more solidified. These are more Sour Patch Kids candy than they are sweet Jelly Bellies. So, I will not be giving away party favors. I am going to be eating a lot of garlic. Hope the flavor evens out with curing. By the way, I had a few ounces of amber liquid in the pot. Do you get that too? Should I cook them more like you did? 10 or 12 days, rather than 9, with the next batch? Or should I just throw these back in and keep cooking another few days? And while I am overstepping, what in god's name do you live in. Your video has walls in your outdoor pantry that seem to be foot thick stone. I am pretty sure your are not hanging out in a single wide in the hills of Provence. A Roman ruin? And does lavender really have a taste?? Enough. Merci beaucoup, C'etait un placer. Saludos. Still mixing my languages. Robert

@@Robert-it1fb I’m sorry they didn’t come out as expected😕 They do become chewy when cured but the taste doesn’t change. I hope it was just the particular garlic that you got, but it sounds like you shop at a great spot. The place I filmed is a “bergerie”, an old shepherd’s farm, which we rent from the family every summer (I live in Paris the rest of the year). It was renovated in the 1960s by an artist couple and they found an 8th century coin while renovating, so not quite Roman but not far either! Kind of a cross between almost Roman and 60s hippy chic 😂 I hope the taste of the black garlic either improves or grows on you. Until then, hasta la vista!

@@VelvetandToads Update and apology. My wife and daughters decamped from the house a few years ago to Mexico City. So I don't have anyone to talk to and as a matter of pride won't call them since I did nothing wrong. So I am bugging you with this ajo negro thing. You said to one of your commenters that you wanted ideas. Here is one. I decloved 2/3 head of sour-ish black garlic and ground it up in the molcajete. Then I added 2/3 stick 60gm of butter and mixed. Then I divided that into two parts. I added about 20drops of extra virgin honey to one of the batches. The honey blend is amazing. Sweet and savory. Add a bit of sea salt and you can use it as a spread or as a sauce for meats. And now that I think about it, Black garlic, honey and fresh basil goat cheese spread would be amazing. Just some ideas. And if you say je ne veux plus .. j'arrette. Ca fait longtemps avec le francais. Perdon. Anyway try the butter. Best regards. Robert

@Robert-it1fb Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!

That’s really interesting, thanks for sharing that information. It’s true that I have completely filled the machine every time I’ve used it which, now that you mention it, certainly would affect the humidity and outcome. Let us all know the results of your experiments to get good results with fewer heads of garlic!

That is very odd but someone else has since commented that they had that happen when not filling the machine to full capacity, as it seems that might affect the humidity. If you do small amounts of garlic, perhaps placing a small dish or glass of water inside like people who use a rice cooker do? In the meantime, perhaps you can grind the dried black garlic into powder to use as a spice. It’s something I’ve been meaning to try. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Hmmm 🤔 That’s odd, I sometimes use Lindt too (love the stuff). Are you sure you whisked it long enough? It does take a long time… I’ve never tried 100% cacao, so do let us all know how the experiment goes!

@@VelvetandToads I probably didn’t whisk long enough. I let you know in a few days how it went with the 100% lindt cocoa.

It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing!

I’m so happy! I sometimes make it with Lindt too. Love Lindt 💖🍫

You are so lucky to have been then! You would not believe the lines to get into the place now. I remember back in the day when you could just walk right in and get a table, maybe wait a few minutes at most if it was crowded. Impossible these days. The line goes down the street😅Thanks for watching!

@@VelvetandToads I know how fortunate I am! My daughter is going to be in Paris in a few days and I have insisted she have the Angelina's experience! I enjoy your channel!

@marywilkinson5937 I’m sure the Angelina line fairies will whisk her right in 🧚🏻‍♀️ 🧚🧚‍♂️ Angelina’s hot chocolate does have a competitor, less well known to visitors, called Carette. Parisians argue over who’s chocolate is best. The original Carette is Place du Trocadéro if she gets the chance to compare…

Thank you!

Yes I believe you’re right. The temperature is modulated throughout and specifically for black garlic, so it only takes 9 days, but you can certainly use a hermetically sealed rice cooker for 30 days and get the same effect! Thanks for sharing.

@@VelvetandToads There is a Publimed study where they did tests and found 70*C to be the best temperature for best flavor. They tested 60*C, 70*C, 80*C and 90*C. Usualy producers say 30 to 40 days are the best fermentation time.

Bravo ! J’ai fait deux machines en juillet (quand j’avais la possibilité de la brancher à l’extérieur 😅) mais on a une grosse consommation, alors je recommencerai sans doute en septembre. Si vous avez des idées de recettes, merci de les partager, et en attendant, bon ail 🧄!

Actually, black garlic is not fermented at all, but rather the result of a Maillard reaction, as I explain in the video. It seems some scientists are experimenting with fermenting the garlic once blackened to see if they can enhance the benefits further. For now, I’m perfectly content with the traditional form. As for the length of time, that depends partly on the temperature. Too high and it’s faster but bitter. Too low it’s longer and not black all the through. It also depends on the equipment, and the ability of that equipment to modulate the temperature over time. You are correct that it can take thirty days, if you wish it too, and there may be even be some enhanced nutritional value at thirty days depending on the aging process you use. Again, I’m perfectly content with the excellent quality I get with this energy-saving machine, and that is what I am sharing with others here. If you are really interested in the subject of black garlic, you might want to read some of the abundant peer-reviewed scientific literature out there on the subject, like I have.🙂

It will be perfect for that purpose! Glad the video could be of help.

Hi, I don’t put any water in mine, but then again it’s a different brand. If they have a website, maybe you can find an email address and ask them to clarify? It’s so frustrating when a company gives you contradictory instructions. 😕

Hi Homie, as far as I know, this recipe won’t work with cacao powder, but if you find a way to make it work, let us all know!

I would love to try it but can’t find solo garlic here! There is a solo garlic button, however. I believe it’s 9 days also, but perhaps the temperature differs?

@@VelvetandToads did you know expired garlic or solo garlic?

Thank you for asking, I’ve had a really busy year but I’ll be starting up again in July! Miss you all!

@@VelvetandToads I did live in Paris and then moved to the South of France quite a while back, eventually I returned home to the States...I enjoy your content because it's honest, interesting & informative. I like your style and your voice is very soothing to me. I feel that no content creator should be made to feel as though they should post weekly or monthly & I have noticed many creators admitting to & explaining their absence as "burn out". I can appreciate that it does take much time & creativity from the creator & that most have very busy lives as well. I'm just in the audience awaiting something new, but no pressure here, I will check periodically till something pops up, I do love this channel....sometimes I wish I never left France. Thank u!

@@sdmsdm7926 I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtful comment 🥰. Honest, interesting and informative. I’m so happy because that’s what I aim for. And relatable. As much as I too love chateaux, most people don’t live that way. I like the idea of bridging cultures. So again, thank you. Where did you live in the South? I always wonder what moving back to the States would be like after living in France for a long time. I’ll let you in on a secret… one of the reasons I haven’t been posting is that we bought a tiny fixer upper in the south. But it’s been a long complicated process and as you pointed out, there’s the rest of life going on at the same time. PS Happy Bastille Day!

🥰 Thank you. I love the Christmas season as well. I hope yours was fabulous too. Already looking forward to te next one🎄

Haha, true, what the rat prepared is actually another side dish from Provence called “tian”. Thanks for stopping by!