Aglio Rosso di Nubia facts for kids
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The Aglio Rosso di Nubia, also called Nubia Red Garlic, is a special type of garlic from Sicily, an island in Italy. It's famous for its bright purple color inside the garlic cloves. This garlic is mostly grown in a small area called Nubia, which is part of the town of Paceco. You can also find it growing in nearby towns like Trapani and Erice.
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What is Nubia Red Garlic?
The Nubia Red Garlic is known by a few names, like Aglio di Paceco or Paceco Garlic, and Aglio di Trapani or Trapani Garlic. It's a unique kind of garlic that stands out because of its strong purple color. This color is found on the outer layers of its individual cloves, which are called bulbils.
Where Does It Grow?
This special garlic grows mainly in Nubia, a small village that belongs to the town of Paceco. Both Nubia and Paceco are located in the Province of Trapani in Sicily. It's also grown in some other nearby towns. These include Trapani, Erice, Buseto Palizzolo, Valderice, Marsala, and Salemi.
How Nubia Red Garlic is Grown
Growing Nubia Red Garlic involves careful steps to make sure the soil stays healthy. Farmers use specific methods to get the best garlic.
Soil and Crop Rotation
This garlic grows best in dark, dry, and rich soil. Farmers make sure not to use the same soil for garlic every year. They practice something called crop rotation. This means they grow different plants in the same field over time. For example, they might grow Nubia Red Garlic one year. The next year, they might plant Paceco yellow melon, which is a local type of melon. They also grow plants like vicia faba (a type of bean) and durum wheat. This rotation helps the soil stay healthy and full of nutrients. It stops the soil from getting tired or "over-exploited."
Planting and Harvesting Times
Farmers usually plant the garlic seeds between December and January. The harvest time is in May and June. To make harvesting easier, they pick the garlic in the evening or at night. This is because the leaves of the plant become more moist. This extra moisture helps them braid the garlic bulbs together. Before harvesting, farmers also remove the plant's flower, which is called spicuna in the local language. This step helps the bulbs grow bigger and stronger.
Unique Features of Nubia Red Garlic
Nubia Red Garlic has some special qualities that make it different from other types of garlic.
Appearance and Flavor
A single bulb of Nubia Red Garlic usually has about twelve cloves. The outer layers of the whole garlic bulb are white. But the individual cloves inside have a bright, striking red color.
Scientists at the University of Palermo studied this garlic. They found that Nubia Red Garlic has a lot of a substance called allicin. Allicin is a natural compound that gives garlic its strong smell and taste. Because this garlic has more allicin than average, it has a very intense and powerful flavor.
Traditional Italian Food
The Nubia Red Garlic is officially recognized as a traditional Italian food product. This means it's listed by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies in Italy. This special listing helps protect and promote unique local foods like this garlic.
