I have been a huge fan of the “stinkin’ rose” for more than thirty years. I would eat it in everything if it did not have such an abusive aroma and pungent taste causing an offensive breath that could wake the dead.

I have learned from experience that the more you chop or crush garlic the more potent it is; and when left in its raw form the flavor is quite subtle.

If you’re looking for a more gentle flavor try the elephant ear garlic, those jumbo cloves  often remind me of shallots in a strange kind of way.

What would garlic bread be without garlic or roasted leg of lamb? My most famous memory was a wonderful garlic soup I had when I visited Austin, Texas. It was a light cream soup garnished with little garlic croûtons. The flavor was delicate, but definitely garlicky. I’m not into making garlic ice cream yet or using it in chocolate truffles but I do think it is one of those wonderful jewels that would be missed if left out of a dish.

Do you have a favorite garlicky dish?

My favorites are the Roast Lamb with Garlic and Beans, page 32 and the Eggplant and Garlic Lasagna, page 46 from my favorite garlic cookbook Garlic-A Book of Recipes.

How much garlic can you stand at one sitting?

I have been looking for a tasty, healthy salad dressing recipe for years. I don’t want that traditional lemon juice and olive oil dressing and I don’t want anything white, like the ranch and bleu cheese dressings. I am looking for something different.

This search has taken me back to the early cookbooks where the photos were all black and white or none existent. I do not eat salads every day, but I may eat them every other day and I want something delicious, but different drizzled over the top. I don’t know if I am the only person who is tired of all those traditional salad dressings, but there are times when I don’t want to eat salad because I can’t find a dressing that is simple, healthy and tasty.

No, I don’t want a bottled brand dressing so please don’t email me with your favorite brand. I just want something different, simple. I created an avocado salad dress, avocado, orange juice, lemon juice, salt and white pepper. I am going to have to make it again so I can decipher the correct amount of each ingredient, but it turned out to be a heavenly dressing.

Has you every happened upon a dressing recipe and discovered it was a real hit?

I just returned from a visit to a used bookstore and sat on this hard floor for more than an hour looking through cookbooks dated pre-1950s. I was specifically looking for books that do not have photographs. I know we have moved into a time when we now eat with our eyes and not our mind, okay so some of you don’t know what I mean, but believe it or not there was a time when I could just write about the food and it would get you drooling. Does anybody out there remember those times? Oh, okay.

Well after teaching cooking classes off and on for more than twenty years, I now know that folks in the U.S. have come to a point where they no longer have an imagination. Where did it go? I think when these colorful, frilly cookbooks and cooking magazines came into being; we started to eat with our eyes. I guest you could say we did what you folks are doing today with video games and television. Instead of going out to play in the backyard, using your imagination, Popsicle sticks and good old fashioned creativity, they twiddle their thumbs, text and play with their Wii from the comfort of the family room. Duh!

What would happen if we went the way of yesterday and removed many photos from our texts? Could you live in a world without food photographs in newspapers, magazines and books? What words could describe this Sweet Potato Pie?