Micah eating a donut. Looks good Micah!

 

With its distinct flavor, garlic is one of the most common vegetables used for culinary purposes, though it also has a number of medicinal uses. It is part of the Allium genus, and is closely related to other strongly flavored vegetables such as onions, leeks, chives, and shallots, according to MedicalNewsToday.com. It is an important ingredient in many cuisines all around the world, and has been in use for thousands of years, tracing back to ancient Egypt.

Garlic comes in bulbs, called heads, that are made up of separate cloves. It is covered in a papery skin that is often white in color, though there are some varieties that have purple skin.

It is produced all over the world, with China as the top producer, supplying up to 75 percent of the garlic eaten in the United States. Within the country, California is the top garlic producer, with smaller batches being produced in Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.