Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment. The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. Garlic cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked) or for medicinal purposes. They have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.Other parts of the garlic plant are also edible. The leaves and flowers on the head are sometimes eaten. They are milder in flavor than the bulbs, and are most often consumed while immature and still tender. Immature garlic is sometimes pulled, rather like a scallion, and sold as "green garlic".
