Wild Garlic
Wild garlic (Lat. Allium Ursinum, called Cherem in Siberia) is one of the oldest herbs in the world. It is said that in Ayurveda, it was used even 5000 years ago and in Chinese medicine - 3000 years ago. Descriptions of this herb can be found in the works of ancient authors and in the manuals of early modern plants.
It is a truly exceptional plant full of vitamins and antioxidants with strong detoxifying properties.
Wild garlic is widespread throughout Europe and has long been used for both food and medicine. The properties of wild garlic are the same as those of domestic garlic, only stronger.
Some call it wild garlic because it is understood to grow in the forest. But it is also called Bears Garlic.
It is an early spring plant and, as it turns out, roaring bears rush to the forest to eat them, waking up after a long hibernation. They roar because of pain due to slowed metabolism and accumulated toxins. For several weeks, they feed on the leaves of wild garlic, which help to cleanse the body of toxins, accumulate salts, replenish the body with much-needed nutrients and restore strength.
Garlic is one of the oldest forest plants used on earth, it is widely used in Scandinavian, Austrian and German cuisines.
In Siberia, bear garlic was one of the most important plants, supplementing the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals in the spring. The long-undeveloped garlic leaves are still bagged in the spring on the Yenisei River in the north, where there is no greenery to rebuild winter-exhausted organisms. It’s like a spring tonic that helps refresh the blood, cleanses the veins and strengthens the immune system. Very positive effects on the liver, bile, stomach and intestines. Has cholesterol lowering properties.
In Lithuania, the bear garlic has been listed as an endangered species for a long time, and if you’re not a bear, you can’t pick them anywhere by the stream. Since 2019 they have been removed from the list of protected plants, but of course they need to be collected very responsibly.
The areas of wild garlic in Lithuania have been greatly expanded by the members of the “Žolinčiai” Academy, who have planted them in 24 different places. These initiatives are also taken by individual enthusiasts. The bear garlic we planted in our village by the river has all turned green this year!
This season it is already possible to pick them and prepare the most delicious and healthy dishes.
It is one of the most versatile spices, suitable for many dishes and they make any meal delicious.
The recipe for "medicinal sauce" is described in a translation of a book by 13th-14th century Italian author Pietro de Crescenzi published in Krakow in 1571. The sauce is made by crushing garlic leaves together with parsley leaves, seasoned with pepper and mint juice (possible with dry or fresh leaves), diluted with natural apple cider vinegar to make the sauce consistent, and eaten with bread or meat, hard-boiled eggs, curd or cheese.
Probably the most delicious is the wild garlic pesto. It is made by crushing the leaves with a mixer, adding olive oil and various nuts or seeds, as well as hard cheese.
By eating this delicacy for at least two weeks in the spring, you can cleanse the body and replenish the missing vitamins, as bears do naturally in nature.
Characteristics of wild garlic:
- cleans blood, slag
- improves memory
- eliminates sleep disorders
- relieves headaches
- reduces vascular calcification
- slightly thins the blood
- improves intestinal peristalsis
- stops diarrhea
- reduces bloating, cramps
- eliminates various skin ailments
ATTENTION! Do not mix them up with heavily poisonous lily of the valley leaves. These plants often grow together and their leaves are very similar!
You can responsibly dig up a few seedlings and plant them, thus creating new habitats for this plant. They love moist forests and are also called moon plants. They need to be planted on a slope by a river so they can see the Moon at night.
The green areas of the bear garlic look amazing and the smell of garlic comes from far away. It is fun to collect them in the spring forest - birds chirping, a roaring river nearby and the sun's rays flicker in the newly born tree leaves.
