In today's New York Times on-line there is an interesting review by Harold McGee about a treatise on alliums: "Dr. Block’s book “Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science” was published earlier this year by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The chemical details are tough for a nonspecialist to follow, but much of the text is in happily clear English. It includes a wide range of cultural references and beautifully reproduced images, among them excerpts from Sumerian cuneiform tablets and “Dracula” and pictures of the firework-like flower heads of ornamental alliums, the onion domes of Russian churches and Antonio Gaudí’s garlic-topped Barcelona apartment house. "Dr. Block also carefully evaluates the mixed evidence for allium efficacy in folk and modern medicine, and explicates the chemistry and treatment of garlic breath. (It can emanate from deep within for a day and more; raw kiwi, eggplant, mushrooms or parsley can help.) "Most helpfully for the cook, he sorts out the different kinds of allium flavors and how they evolve on the cutting board and stove. And he gives an intriguing preview of new alliums just over the horizon." See here http://nytimes.com/2010/06/… for the complete review. Sounds interesting. Judy in cool and damp New Jersey where, with some contortions, I managed to plant gladiola Mirella corms yesterday.