Garlic Festival???

[JennaL]

To keep this nice and simple, I have been tempted to hit the garlic festival in Perth for several years now (plus I think there is a shop in Perth that carries Back Forty cheese). Have any chows been? Worth the drive from Ptbo or should we stick to watching the U19 women's world lacrosse championships?

[lovethatgarlic]

Stratford, Ontario has a great garlic festival. All local grown... lots of garlic, food and garlic related crafts too. Great speakers. The Fish Lake Garlic Man was there last year and will be there again this year according to their web (stratfordgarlicfestival.com). The Manic Organic (Antony John) is there talking too. Sept 13 in 2008.

[JennaL]

So, we did end up going to the garlic festival after all. Despite what you would think from the website, it is very much a food oriented affair. It's kinda of small, not surprising given that it is in perth, but there were lots and lots of samples. We did much munching of garlic-based and infused spreads, jams, pesto etc. We ended of getting some garlic chili fudge, a peach vidalia hot sauce, some apple ginger chutney, and couple of braids of garlic. Ted the garlic man was there holding court in one of the buildings. We were sustained throughout all the sampling by some very fresh Forfar cheese curds (yum!) which yes, were available in garlic flavour. Plus we for to pick up some wild blueberries from a roadside vendor on the way home. When you add in lunch and shopping/wandering in Perth itself, it was a really pleasant day.

[Poorboy]

Ted the Garlic Man.... I wonder if this is the same guy I see at the Cabbagetown Festival every year just next to Riverdale Farm?

[foodyDudey]

Were they selling garlic from China or homegrown?

I'm finding it hard to find anything but the junk from China here on Danforth Ave. Even Sun Valley is selling Chinese garlic.

Here's an interesting article:

U.S. Growers Say China's Grip on Garlic Stinks
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...

Back in the good old days, Gilroy CA was the garlic capital.

[JennaL]

All the vendors of actual garlic were from Ontario since it is jointly put on by the Ontario Garlic Grower's Association. That's why we bought so much of it while we were there. It is really frustrating to try and find non-imported stuff that isn't from some 8000 kms away anymore. If I remember from my Min. of Ag. and Food days Canada has taken on China at whatever the appropriate international trade tirbunals are in the past. The cases were launched by the Garlic Grower's Association and China (I think - this was a few years ago) had some restrictions of when they could import, but I think the ruling expired.

[vorpal]

*grins*... Reading the website, it looks like most of the touted main attractions really have nothing at all to do with garlic (or even food, for that matter)!

[itryalot]

When is it? Do you have any other info you can share.Where is Perth?

[JennaL]

The festival is this saturday and sunday - the link is attached. Perth is on Highway 7 between Sharbot Lake and Carleton Place (45min-1 hr west of Ottawa if that still doesn't place it for you).

http://www.perthgarlicfestival.com/

[koknia]

I visited Ted ("The Fish Lake Garlic Man") Maczka in his patch a couple of days ago. He'll be there with bells on.

http://www.thecounty.ca/cips/farmers_...

[Rainchilde]

I went 2 years ago and it was a small festival but an enjoyable time. Aside form the festival, Perth is a lovely place to visit with lots of nice little shops and bed and breakfasts in the surrounding area.