This herb can be found on wet grass fields and mountain forests where there is humus soil.
It has strong and characteristic smell of garlic that you can feel before even seeing the herb. This smell is also “guilty” for its name “wild garlic”, which is different from Lily of the valley or Convallaria majalis, the autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and snake’s head (Arum maculatum) which are exceptionally poisonous.
The leaves of the wild garlic are eaten in salads, and can be use sautéed as vegetable in soups or as pesto instead of basil. The stalks are brined and are used as salad, and one type of cheese called Cornish Yard is wrapped with its leaves.
The leaves of the wild garlic are also used as animal food, and the cows that eat it give specific milk with a smell of garlic and the butter prepared of this milk was popular in Switzerland in the 19th century.
The first leaves appear from April until May and sometimes even earlier. It blossoms in mid-May and June. It has a hidden healing power, and that is why it is said that the bears look for it right after they wake up from the winter dream to clean the stomach, the intestines and the blood.
The wild garlic has the properties of garlic we commonly use, but it has even more healing properties than regular garlic. That is why it is best for spring detoxification of the body and thus treating the chronic skin diseases.
Since dried leaves of wild garlic lose their healing power, fresh leaves are the ones that are best to use. You can chop it and spread it over bread with butter, or put it in previously cooked soup or potato to make the taste better.
If you use large quantities of it, you can get bitter taste, so if you prepare it like you prepare spinach, it would be good to mix it with nettle. Young leaves are best to be harvested in April and May, before blossoming and the rest in summer and fall. The cloves are used the same as regular garlic.
Those people that have sensitive stomach should put the chopped wild garlic in warm milk and leave it for 2-3 hours. This milk should be taken in large sips. If you have wild garlic in your garden throughout the whole year, you can prepare alcohol out of it, similar to moonshine. Take 10-12 drops daily, mixed with a bit of water. These drops are great for memory and prevent clogging of blood vessels.
Wild garlic liquor
Fill one glass bottle with chopped wild garlic leaves and cloves and fill it with homemade alcohol 38-40%. Leave the glass for 14 days on sun or in a warm place. Take 10-15 drops for four times a day, mixing it with a bit of water. 10-12 drops daily is enough to serve as prevention.
Wild garlic wine
Cook one handful of chopped leaves in ¼ of white wine, sweeten it with honey and take a sip.
