Fresh Elephant Garlic

For cooking purposes, California garlic (the variety used to make braids), lasts about 9 months from the July/August harvest. Because of this, it is difficult to guarantee the freshness of our fresh garlic products between January and July each year. Therefore, we will not ship fresh garlic between February 1 and July 15, or until the new harvest. In addition, we will be unable to issue refunds on these products regardless of when they were purchased.

One of the most common questions we receive concerns the shelf life of our products; with a few people (luckily, very few) thinking that shelf life and half-life* are synonymous. The answer for each category is different. Most spice companies (whose names we don't mention) advise replacing herbs and spices every few months as they tend to lose potency and freshness. In general, that's probably a good practice. Herbs & spices, unlike wine, do not improve with age. However, we have found that Garli Garni, stored properly, can easily last up to a year. What is properly, you ask? Store Garli Garni and all other seasonings in a cool, dry, dark place. If you have a small shaker, refill it from your big one.
"Wet" products, such as salsas, mustards, and dressings should be similarly stored until opened and then should always be refrigerated. These should be used within a couple of months but use your common sense. If it looks or smells like a science project, throw it out!
Remember, food products began life as living plants or other organic substances and therefore are not candidates for life everlasting. Most of our users don't want us to use so many preservatives that our products outlive them!
To enjoy the freshest, tastiest products, buy only what you can reasonably use in a few months. Never eat products that are off color, smell funny, or are in bulging or open containers. Store all products safely. No product should be stored where it is hot or in direct sunlight.
*half-life: the time required for half the atoms of a radioactive substance to become disintegrated; usually thousands of years.