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Here’s the scoop: You have to try garlic ice cream
The initial thought leaves most people shaking their heads in disbelief. Then, curiosity takes over and the courage to try garlic ice cream wins out.
The initial thought leaves most
people shaking their heads in disbelief. Then, curiosity takes over and the
courage to try garlic ice cream wins out.
“It’s really popular and it sells
out fast every year,” says Sarah Drewery, executive director of The Sharing
Farm, which is putting the final ingredients together for its annual Richmond
Garlic Festival Sunday, Aug. 18. “I think it is popular because it sounds so
strange but actually tastes really good. I think people are intrigued to try
it.”
This year, adds Drewery,
organizers are excited that (Vancouver-based) Earnest Ice Cream is coming
aboard as the new ice cream sponsor.
With a base of vanilla or honey
and cream, to which the ancient species in the onion genus is added, garlic ice
cream has become a staple at many garlic festivals. It’s even made its way onto
the menu at San Francisco’s Stinking Rose.
Popular the world over, the
pungent vegetable is enjoyed in a variety of dishes. And, says Drewery, local
organic garlic—if you can gets your hands on it—is especially tasty.
But while the savoury ice cream
treat is arguably the main attraction, it’s just a small sample of what the
festival—now in its 11th year—is serving up.
“It’s a really relaxed,
grassroots festival in a beautiful setting; a little slice of rustic charm in
the city,” offers Drewery. “Walking around the farm on a sunny day, sampling
delicious food from local chefs and enjoying live entertainment makes a great
day out.”
This year, for the truly brave,
Drewery suggests picking up a small batch of garlic kombuca made by local
brewers Bouche Kombucha.
All told, 11,000 bulbs of garlic
have been grown at The Sharing Farm this year. West Coast Seeds will be
preparing workshops throughout the day, and there will also be farm tours, live
music and raptor flying demonstrations. The Kids Zone will be packed with fun
activities in safe, natural surroundings. Kids can also make crowns from the
garlic stalks, take part in interactive math games and play with our many
low-waste, upcycled activities.
The basic premise of the festival
is naturally organic, but Drewery says it is always evolving. Birds of prey
demonstrations with expert bird handlers will be back for second straight year,
educating and entertaining the crowd. These birds will also perform a number of
flying maneuvers, acrobatics and speed, and dexterity drills.
Added to this year are free
bicycle tune ups and seed saving demonstrations from Farm Folk, City Folk.
For Drewery, however, the
highlight of the festival is the food.
“Local chefs from Vancouver and
Richmond are volunteering their time to make delicious garlic based dishes, and
the results are always incredible. I'm very excited to try as many as I can
this year.”
The 11th Richmond Garlic Festival
is being held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Terra Nova Rural Park, 2771
Westminster Hwy. The main festival parking is the field west of Spul’u’Kwuks
Elementary School, which is entered from Barnard Drive.