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The weaving process of the white Garlic braid in Piacenza (Emilia Region) is a heritage passing from father and son (or better from mother and daughter).
Garlic bulbs are extracted from the ground with the help of your hands, or at most with a fork by inserting its teeth far enough not to run the risk of piercing the bulbs. It is preferable to harvest in dry weather, leaving the bulbs a few days on the ground or in any case well spread out in the open so that they dry; it will also be useful to turn them at least once a day. This drying must also allow the detachment of all earth residues, possibly by shaking them off.
It’s important to highlight that the Piacenza interweaving method has been handed down for generations, which differs from other packaging methods.
The garlic braid is made by a three-headed braid consisting of a central head and two alternating sides, upstream there is a careful selection of the bulbs that must have good quality, size and handling characteristics. This technique allows all the bulbs to show beautifully one attached to the other. The consumer often chooses these braids at the time of purchase because they contain an optimal number of heads for practical use in the kitchen and also because they represent a beautiful ornament used in ancient times.
Recommendation for storage: do not store in the fridge and in humidity and don’t expose it too much to light, it prefers a dry environment that prevents the bulbs from sprouting prematurely or molding.