Jerome Carayol has a small stand at Lautrec market on Fridays selling garlic, eggs and the odd duck and chicken–his mother supplies the pigeons.
He tells me this morning, picking three garlic bulbs from a small pile as a gift, that he’ll begin lifting his pink garlic (l’ail rose de Lautrec) tomorrow or Monday.
For the last three weeks, starting early before the sun gets a hold, small teams–mainly youngsters–are employed in the fields working slowly along the rows of garlic, picking the scopes (the stem that develop into a flower) off the top of each plant.
Back-breaking work–but necessary to allow the plant to concentrate its final surge of energy on the bulb.
Now the farmers are beginning the harvest.
Garlic gath’rers pass,
Leaving the scent in the air;
It’s that time again.
Judy Bach asked for recipes on Facebook.
Here’s one, adapted from Skye Gyngell’s version in her book, How I Cook :
New season courgettes, cooked slow with the new garlic and mint–mushily delicious with a little kick from the chili.
This is for 4
1 lb courgettes/zucchini--sliced thin 
2 garlic cloves–sliced thin
1 small dried red chili–chopped
a handful of mint (if you have it)-chopped
salt and pepper
1 tblsp olive oil
- In a medium pan, gently soften the garlic and chili in the oil.
- Add the sliced courgettes/zucchini and turn them over in the oil to coat them thoroughly.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Turn again to distribute the seasoning.
- Cover the pan and cook for forty minutes on a very low heat.
- Uncover and fold in the mint, if you have it–which we have, but I forgot it!
Looks better with the mint!
Robin Ellis 
Hi Robin, We have been enjoying your recipes! Keep sending! And we call them “scapes” here in US and they are edible. Sautéed in olive oil is the easiest. Hi to Meredith. Michael Veitch
Sent from Windows Mail
I should have mentioned that Michael, thanks! There’ll be some in the market tomorrow.
yum…love garlic!! just wondering if you could suggest a substitute (and the amount to use) for the dried chili. we normally have on hand ‘crushed red pepper flakes’ and ground cayenne pepper, so would like to try with one or both of those. what would you suggest for amounts to add to mirror the recipe you have presented?
Thanks very much and best wishes to you and Meredith. We appreciate all your posts, and the recent ones about Normandy were quite touching to us.
Chili flakes are the same thing and the amount is to your taste. Perhaps a pinch first time to see…
Looks very nice , I will try that. Been growing my own courgettes for the first time. I had a little laugh when I got to the part that said you’d forgotten the mint ! I do things like that all the time . A few weeks ago, everyone had finished lunch and I was clearing away when I realised I’d left the Yorkshire puddings in the oven ! Oh well ! x
Attila Hildmann is a vegan chef based in Berlin. He is also the author of some vegan cook books. His recipe of zucchini bolognese with almond parmesan is well-known here. He was shocked by the previous death of his father who died of a heart attack and then changed his eating habits and lost 35 kilos.
For more information about him and his recipe please click the links below
http://bittemehrdavon.blogspot.de/2013/06/zucchini-bolognese-mit-mandelparmesan.html
Thanks for this, Martina.
Hi Robin just tried this with slow pot roasted minted leg of lamb and vegetable couscous’ wow, wow, wow absolutely gorgeous. (I used yellow courgettes that my wife grew).
Happy to hear it–I like the look of the yellow ones.