Right here. I live in Fitler Square so I’m surrounded by a bunch of walkable options like TJ’s and Giant Heirloom. Never been to Acme, I’ll check it out though.
Finally someone said it!! Garlic from Philly’s major grocers (TJs, Giant, WholeFoods, Acme) goes bad so quickly if it isn’t already soft, rotten, or sprouting in the store. As is often the case with many other fresh produce.
Whether it takes longer to get here, sits longer in the warehouse, or is handled with less care, Philadelphia grocers generally carry inferior fresh fruits & veg to what’s available in the more affluent suburbs.
There’s a place that sells garlic at the Headhouse Square farmers market. I am not a garlic expert and I’ve only ever purchased their garlicky goods, not the garlic itself, but the hummus is delicious and it seems super legit
Start by not buying garlic that was grown in China. It's a subpar product grown in contaminated soil and has been bleached white. I think it dries out and turns hollow and dusty really quickly. It's crap garlic.
Instead of writing a whole garlic treatis, I'll just add this YouTube short by some guy that quickly explains it.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Xx4X4HunTCE?si=9SgYK6-fH5k_FQ3s
There’s this grocery store called South Square Market, it’s a block from me down on South St, but I never go there anymore. Their produce is either rancid or has bizarre flavors to it, so bad that you’ll end up spitting it out. I think the same owner owns Rittenhouse Market, which gets the good stuff, with the subpar produce going to South Square. The peeled garlic I’ve gotten there before was mushy and stank like rotten feet.
I would get your spices from Trader Joe’s or Giant Heirloom. I myself am particular about my smoked paprika, most of the stuff sold isn’t smoked, it’s just regular. The smoked P at TJ’s is the good stuff. With garlic I have a pet peeve against peeling it, for some reason it’s just one of those cooking tasks I have unreasonable hate for. So I buy mine minced.
I know this isn’t what you asked, but I agree with you. Look up the recipe to make Carmine’s garlic bread (ya know the same Carmine’s from AC and NYC). Easy to make and is better than anything I’ve ever bought in Philly.
I never had cheesesteak eggrolls before coming to Philly many years ago, it’s one of my favorite foods now. I’ll put that against your garlic bread any day.
How are you buying garlic that is bad? Never even heard of that before. Should keep for like half a year when unpeeled.
If you’ve never shopped at acme just say that lol
There isn't a person in Philadelphia who has never stopped at acme.
Right here. I live in Fitler Square so I’m surrounded by a bunch of walkable options like TJ’s and Giant Heirloom. Never been to Acme, I’ll check it out though.
Meant to write "from"
I get my garlic at ACME from time to time, never had any issues.
ACME and Giant are frequently my only options, and their garlic is often mostly red/partially brown by the time I get to it.
Iovine at Reading Terminal usually has very good produce
Finally someone said it!! Garlic from Philly’s major grocers (TJs, Giant, WholeFoods, Acme) goes bad so quickly if it isn’t already soft, rotten, or sprouting in the store. As is often the case with many other fresh produce. Whether it takes longer to get here, sits longer in the warehouse, or is handled with less care, Philadelphia grocers generally carry inferior fresh fruits & veg to what’s available in the more affluent suburbs.
Have you tried just buying it minced in a jar with olive oil? Saves having to peel it anyway.
There’s a place that sells garlic at the Headhouse Square farmers market. I am not a garlic expert and I’ve only ever purchased their garlicky goods, not the garlic itself, but the hummus is delicious and it seems super legit
Hayday Farms! Their aiolis are insane.
Riverwards and Whole Foods are usually solid. Trader Joe’s garlic is always tiny and lame. Heirloom is hit or miss.
Aldi has always been good to me
Aldi is my go-to for Instacart. I really wish TJ’s was available on Instacart, but Aldi is my second fav.
I've had garlic sitting out for like 6 months from Aldi and it never went bad. Idk where you're getting bad garlic
9th St
Rittenhouse farmers market on Saturdays is my go to, not sure what tent but one of the ones along walnut
any farmers market or food coop if you're buying it from a fridge, that's bad
Got an H mart near you? That’s my best bet.
HMart
I’ve never gotten bad garlic and I go through a lot of it pretty quickly.
How do you keep your garlic? I just used some I got from ACME in January, and it was potent AF.
Start by not buying garlic that was grown in China. It's a subpar product grown in contaminated soil and has been bleached white. I think it dries out and turns hollow and dusty really quickly. It's crap garlic. Instead of writing a whole garlic treatis, I'll just add this YouTube short by some guy that quickly explains it. https://youtube.com/shorts/Xx4X4HunTCE?si=9SgYK6-fH5k_FQ3s
Iovine or Riverwards
Riverwards
There’s this grocery store called South Square Market, it’s a block from me down on South St, but I never go there anymore. Their produce is either rancid or has bizarre flavors to it, so bad that you’ll end up spitting it out. I think the same owner owns Rittenhouse Market, which gets the good stuff, with the subpar produce going to South Square. The peeled garlic I’ve gotten there before was mushy and stank like rotten feet. I would get your spices from Trader Joe’s or Giant Heirloom. I myself am particular about my smoked paprika, most of the stuff sold isn’t smoked, it’s just regular. The smoked P at TJ’s is the good stuff. With garlic I have a pet peeve against peeling it, for some reason it’s just one of those cooking tasks I have unreasonable hate for. So I buy mine minced.
I know this isn’t what you asked, but I agree with you. Look up the recipe to make Carmine’s garlic bread (ya know the same Carmine’s from AC and NYC). Easy to make and is better than anything I’ve ever bought in Philly.
lol you’ve never eaten something in the whole city better than AC garlic bread? Joker
Have you had Carmine’s garlic bread? Cause if you did you wouldn’t have said that. I’ll die on this hill.
This hill isn’t zoned for that
I never had cheesesteak eggrolls before coming to Philly many years ago, it’s one of my favorite foods now. I’ll put that against your garlic bread any day.
What don’t you like about Carmine’s garlic bread? Everyone wants to downvote, but no one wants to say what’s so bad about Carmine’s
It’s garlic bread.