Fresno County wears stinky crown in garlic celebration
By Dennis Pollock The midday sun was heating up the met- al bleachers where celebrity chef Martin Yan was about to warm up the crowd at a cooking demonstration at the National Garlic Festival in Fresno. The self-proclaimed “international food ambassador” who starred in the long-run- ning PBS series “Yan Can Cook” triump- antly raised a stalk of garlic. And he led with an over-the-top riff on the virtues of the vegetable and the city of Fresno. “Eighty percent of the garlic in the coun- try is grown right here in this beautiful city,” he said. “If I ever make enough money, I will definitely move to Fresno. You can help me out, OK?” It was a fitting reintroduction for last weekend’s National Garlic Festival, which may have emerged as the pre-eminent garlic event after the famed Gilroy Garlic Festival folded. The festival was expected to generate nearly $13 million in business sales and just under $200,000 in local tax revenue. Beyond that, it served as a ro- bust PR vehicle for Fresno’s renowned stinky vegetable. “Garlic is one the most healthy aromat- ic ingredients. Garlic, ginger, onion. You should eat more,” boasted Yan, hyping lon- gevity and benefits of garlic. “Look at this
physical specimen. I just turned 88. Yes. I have garlic three times a day. I make my smoothie with fresh garlic. I drink garlic juice. And I sleep with my garlic. I dream of garlic.” Other attractions included bins of gar- lic for the taking, where visitors such as Gregory Washington of Fresno filled bags. “Free garlic, all you can eat,” he said. There were some ersatz protesters who carried signs that read “Garlic stinks” and “Vampires Against Garlic.” Visitors enter- ing the Fresno Fairgrounds were greeted by an over-sized bulb of garlic and a banner that read, “EAT. DRINK. STINK.” They lined up for free samples of gar- lic-flavored ice cream, choosing vanilla or chocolate, and savored garlic meals pre- sented by television host Mario Lopez. There was an educational component to the festival that showed harvesting of garlic on a much larger scale, showcasing heavy machinery that was used and explaining the steps to harvest. In the same building that housed equip- ment, there were a half-dozen farmer vendors with signs with much the same message, either reading: “We sell what we grow” or “We grow what we sell.” Panhia Moua of Fresno knew she had to come. Her parents grew garlic and oth-
Celebrity chef Martin Yan celebrates the locally produced crop at the National Garlic Festival. After closure of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, the event spotlighted Fresno as America’s garlic leader.
er vegetables on a small scale for farmers markets. She liked the fact it wasn’t a la- bor-intensive crop. When it was ready for harvest, she said, family members would “just pull it out and let it dry.” Steve Netley of Palm Springs traveled to the festival seeking to learn more about the health benefits of garlic. Netley previously attended the Gilroy Garlic Festival and mourned its passing, until he found a replacement in Fresno. Netley conversed with Amelia Harris, a product line manager with Olam Food Ingredients, a Fresno company that sells products including frozen roasted gar- lic puree and garlic minced, granulated, chopped and powdered.
The festival, which started in 2019, was moved from late May to mid-May in hopes of cooler temperatures. But it was in the mid-80s on opening day, in the high 80s the second day and in the mid-90s the final day. That was cool by Fresno standards, though a lit- tle too hot for Moua, who took refuge from the heat in a shaded spot outside the grandstand, while she enjoyed the cooking demonstrations. Moura was happy about garlic—and Fresno—getting renewed notice. “It’s cool,” she said. “My family is excited about it.” (Dennis Pollock is a reporter in Fresno. He may be contacted at agcompollock@yahoo.com.)
May 18, 2022 Ag Alert 15
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