Pink Garlic Festival in Lautrec

Lautrec is a small, beautiful town famous for its delicate rose garlic. It holds a garlic festival on the first Friday in August. Somewhat poetically, you park on a harvested garlic field. The event kicks off with a parade by the Brotherhood of the Garlic, clad in medieval-ish garb and carrying a flag. They are accompanied by Brotherhoods of everything from Bordeaux wine to carrots. There's an art competition that was won by an awesome air balloon crafted out of garlic skin.

The highlight of the festivall is the free garlic soup. (Picture Above. Recipe below). It looks like water after you've cleaned white paint off a paint brush but don't let that deter you. It is fabulous. Soft garlic flavor in a light broth with vermicelli. Served with rose wine. I met two members of the brotherhood who said I could become a member if the book is successful. I never dreamed of parading through a little French town in a medieval robe, but now I do. Viva la France!

This is the official recipe. When I get home, I'll convert from metric and measure out oil, salt and pepper.

Lautrec's Pink Garlic Soup

For 4 people: 2 liters of water, 10 cloves of Lautrec Pink Garlic, 1 teaspoon of mustard, 1 egg, oil, 150g. of vermicelli, salt and pepper to taste

Pour the water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the crushed pink garlic and the egg white. Add salt and pepper and mix. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the vermicelli and cook for 3 minutes more. Prepare a mayonnaise with the egg yolk, pepper, salt, mustard and oil. Dilute it with a ladle of warm stock and incorporate it delicately into your soup.

Bon Appetit!