Garlic has been relished as food source and revered for many medicinal properties throughout history. Ancient Egyptians believed garlic could increase strength and prolong life. Likewise, Ancient Romans believed that garlic could repel scorpions, protect against leprosy and cure asthma. Garlic originated in Central Asia where the ancestor of modern garlic (a wild plant called allium longicuspis) was identified and domesticated nearly six thousand years ago. Garlic was introduced to the Middle East and Northern Africa by traders in 3000 BC. The rise of the Ottoman Empire enabled garlic to migrate from the Middle East into Central and Western Europe. Garlic was greeted by Europeans as an excellent remedy for a wide variety of medical ailments. In the 1660’s, European medical journals even described it as an excellent cure for plague. Today, the Black Sea city of Kastamonu is known worldwide for garlic. In addition to being flavorful, aromatic Kastomonu Garlic is a documented treatment for prostate ailments. With more than 3,500 local garlic farmers, the small village of Kastomonu produces nearly 15% of the garlic cultivated in Turkey.
