Description
Jinxiang Da Suan PGI is a kind of local white garlic with a regular oblate shape.
Production Area
The production area of Jinxiang Da Suan PGI comprises 13 towns in Jinxiang County, in the Province of Shandong.
Production Method
Before planting the bulbs must be placed in the sun for 2-3 days. Only bulbs with pure colour, weighing not less than 5 gr, without overlapping cloves and free from rot, pest, cuts, diseases and sprouting can be planted. Planting takes place between October 8th-15th, in furrows with a width of 150-400 cm and with no more than 350.000 seed bulbs per hectare. The bulbs are then covered with a layer of soil that is 1-1,5 cm thick and then with plastic film which is broken by the farmer when the sprout is 1-2 cm above the surface. Watering takes place at specific times during the growing period of the following year: at the end of March; at the end of April; at the beginning of May. Harvesting begins in mid-May when the leaves of the lower part of the stem are withered and on the upper part, which has become soft, there are only 2-4 green leaves remaining. From July 10th-30th, the garlic is preserved by freezing at a temperature of -2°/-4°C for a maximum of 300 days. In order to maintain the original bright white colour of the garlic the product is dried in bamboo trays, thereby ensuring that it is dried completely and evenly. The garlic is processed with a special arc-shaped knife that improves the quality of the garlic.
Appearance and Flavour
Jinxiang Da Suan PGI is characterised by its bright white outer skin and its mildly hot flavour. The bulb is large, 5-7 cm in diameter, weighs between 40-80 gr and the outer layer has between 8-11 cloves.
History
Garlic growing in Jinxiang County boasts a long history. The county annals demonstrate that white garlic has been planted in this area since the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, some 2000 years ago. At the beginning of the last century, the garlic planting area was approximately 200 hectares, in the middle of last century it was 330 to 700 and today it has reached 40.000. In 1992, Jinxiang Da Suan won the silver medal at the first China Agricultural Expo.
Gastronomy
Jinxiang Da Suan PGI is best kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated place, in order to maintain the product's organoleptic characteristics and beneficial properties. It is an ideal ingredient for many common dishes and is an excellent addition to some of the most delicious traditional Chinese dishes.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Jinxiang Da Suan PGI. It is sold in hazard-free degradable cardboard boxes, or hazard-free degradable tuck net with cardboard boxes. For packaging purposes, the bulb size ranges from 4,5-5 cm, 5-5,5 cm, 6-6,5 cm and larger; the weight ranges from 5 kg, 10 kg, 13 kg to 20 kg. Exported garlic is packaged in corrugated cardboard boxes with a specification of 40×30×20 cm or 38×27×21 cm.
Distinctive Features
Jinxiang County has fluvial, loose and permeable soil; it is located in a temperate zone, characterised by four distinctive seasons and sufficient sunshine. These factors guarantee excellent growing conditions for Jinxiang Da Suan PGI.
