The Flavour Maker

Photo by Jamie-Lee Fuoco
Cleopatra is one of the unique varieties of garlic Meegan and Yvon-Jean Nicod, top right, love because it grows large, tastes spicy, boasts many layers and, if dried and stored well, can stay good for up to 12 months — an incredible feat for garlic.
Kip and Michele Cantrell, owners of Thistle Farm in Wynndel, bottom left, grow Asian Tempest and Deep Purple for the early spring harvest, along with other specialty varieties including Georgian Fire and Bogatyr. But their main harvests of large garlic come from the now-familiar fan favourites Russian Red and Red Russian. (Yes, these really are two different varieties.)