Meet my Romeo of the moment – garlic scapes.  These winding tops of garlic stalks are the darlings of the farmers market.  Removing them from the plant keeps all of the energy for the forming bulb below.  It provides another item for farmers to sell early in the season and another way for garlic lovers to get their stinking rose fix.  (Would a stinking rose by any other name smell as sweet?)  At my local market, neatly tied bunches are a mere dollar.  The flavor is a mild whisper of garlic, while the texture is a cross between scallions and asparagus.  The subdued taste reminds me of roasted garlic but without the long cooking time.

Since discovering scapes, I’ve used them in many ways –  blended into pesto, added to stir-fries, and diced into arroz con seitan.  But my favorite way of preparing it is by simply coating it in a light layer of oil and setting it on the grill until it’s soft with toasted ends and light grill marks.  It takes about 10 minutes at a medium heat on the grill, paying attention not to let the thin tips dip between grill grates and into the fire.  If that happens, the scapes make a sound of popping firecrackers within the barbecue and the taste of the tips resembles burnt potato chips.  (Not all bad, I suppose.)

Once the scapes are ready, they work as a colorful side on their own or with other grilled vegetables.  Replace sliced onion on sandwiches for a twisted scape or dice it into a salad for a warm pop of garlic in your leafy greens.  Most of all, enjoy them while they’re here.  Eating seasonally means that in order to say hello to corn on the cob and bing cherries, we have to say goodbye to asparagus and garlic scapes.  Juliet was right.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.