Garlic gourmets get together for annual festival

In cooking, it is often said that there is no such thing as a little garlic. Nowhere in the United States will you find more agreement on the observation than in Gilroy, Calif., where the sixth annual Garlic Festival will take place July 27-29.

Staffed by 2,500 volunteers, the festival is expected to attract more than 100,000 garlic fanciers, garlic braiders, garlic cooks, and people who like to eat foods cooked with garlic.

Contestants in the Great Garlic Recipe Contest will compete down to a final cookoff, and local girls will compete for the title of Garlic Queen.

Called the Garlic Capital of the World, Gilroy and the surrounding areas grow most of the garlic consumed in the US. For information contact the Garlic Festival Association, P.O. Box 2311, Gilroy, Calif., 95020.