It's hard to imagine cooking without garlic - it's one of those ingredients I always have in my kitchen and it's used in almost every cuisine around the world. In the not too distant past, though, there was a snobbery about it within some cultures: garlic was considered to be an ingredient used only by the lower classes and immigrants.

The fat, moist cloves grow tightly packed in what is called a bulb or head, and are covered with a papery skin that's usually removed before the garlic is used. Garlic doesn't release its pungency and flavour until the flesh is pierced, sliced or crushed.

When raw, the flavour of garlic can be harsh and overwhelming, so it should be used with discretion, except in dishes where you want a strong, garlicky flavour; although even in something like an aioli, two cloves are usually enough to flavour the garlic mayonnaise. When garlic is cooked for a long time and slowly, the flavour becomes mellow and sweet - in the classic French dish of chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, the leisurely braising process makes the garlic taste soft and gentle.