Vessalico Garlic

The story

What you're tasting

A mild, digestible garlic with purple-streaked skin, grown in the Ligurian mountains.

Cultivated in the upper Arroscia Valley since the 1700s. It is one of the few garlic varieties recognized by the Slow Food Presidium. It is traditionally woven into long braids called "reste."

A street produce stall under a striped umbrella

Know it

Before you buy

Tasting: Delicate, spicy but not aggressive, and highly digestible. It has a long shelf life.
Season: Summer
Keep it: Store the braids in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. Do not refrigerate.

The making

How it's made

Grown on small mountain plots. Harvested in June and dried in the shade. The weaving into braids allows air circulation and long storage.

Vessalico garlic is woven into 'reste' (braids) by hand, a tradition passed down for generations. It is the only garlic suitable for true Pesto Genovese due to its mildness.

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