Manouille Ail Rose de Lautrec Label Rouge IGP

Lautrec Pink Garlic is a

protected geographical indication Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect nam ...

indicating a specific production of

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northeas ...

from the

Lautrec Lautrec (; oc, Lautrèc) is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. Demography Remarkable sites Lautrec is listed among "The Most Beautiful Villages of France" as well as a "Remarkable Site for Taste" thanks to its renowne ...

commune in the Tarn department in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. This crop has been, since 1966, listed under the French Label Rouge "ail rose" (pink garlic) and under the

ail rose de Lautrec (Lautrec Pink Garlic) since June 12, 1996.

Characteristics

Lautrec pink garlic is characterized by its pink tunicas, its extended dormancy (allowing its delayed marketing until spring) and by its rigid floral stem, which prevents the braiding for distribution of traditional garlic; instead, the garlic is bound into clusters called "manouilles". This rigid floral stem is pruned early in the growing season in a process known as ''despoulinage'', a local word meaning castration, the better to concentrate growth and flavour in the underground bulbs. The garlic has a highly developed flavor. Due to the extended drying time (a minimum of 15 days), it is well-suited to long-term storage.

Geographical delimitation

The geographical area of production of Lautrec pink garlic has been defined taking into account the historical traditions of cultivation and the characteristics of the terroir. It consists of 88 communes in the western part of the Tarn, in a region with clay and limestone soils, watered by the

Agout The Agout or Agoût (; oc, Agot) is a long river in south-western France. It is a left tributary of the Tarn. Its source is in the southern Massif Central, in the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park. It flows generally west through the follow ...

and

Dadou The Dadou (french: le Dadou) is a long river in the Tarn department in southern France. Its source is near Saint-Salvi-de-Carcavès. It flows generally west. It is a right tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows i ...

rivers.

History

The pink garlic has been popular in Lautrec since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. Stories are told of a wandering merchant who was unable to pay for his meal at a local tavern; he settled his bill with a mysterious pink garlic. The surprised tavern owner decided to plant it and the pink garlic has been common to the area ever since.

References

{{Herbs & spices Garlic Appellations Food product brands Lautrec pink garlic