Call him the Duke of Blezard Valley.
Daniel Belisle is hoping to become the king of blackened garlic in this city. Wait, you might be asking yourself what is black garlic exactly. East Asian in origin, fermenting garlic bulbs in a controlled environment produces black-coloured cloves with a totally unique flavour.
“The taste transforms a pungent and spicy garlic to something sweeter with a completely different flavour altogether,” Belisle said. “You can yield different flavour profiles depending on the garlic you use.”
The idea to ferment garlic was something Belisle had never experienced until he taste tested it a few years ago.
“Someone we know travelled to Ottawa and came back with fancy black garlic. We taste-tested it on cheese and crackers,” he said. “I immediately asked myself, ‘Where have you been all my life?’ and could not get enough of it after that.”
The high of his newfound love for black garlic was only matched by his disappointment that there was nowhere Greater Sudbury to purchase it. He raved about black garlic to anyone who would listen, at the same time sharing his disappointment that it wasn’t available in the Nickel City.
During the first Christmas pandemic lockdown, his sister-in-law heard his pleas and gifted him with a fermentor. The rest is history.
Belisle experimented with his favourite jumbo garlic variety from a local supermarket. He’s also tackled other bulbed vegetables like shallots and is amazed at how the low temperatures and high humidity formulates a carmelized onion taste.
Belisle did say through his experiments, he found it hard to create a consistent product because every variety of garlic yields a different flavour altogether.
And while he still loves it paired with crackers and cheese, Belisle said he has also blended it into sauces like aioli. He has added it into different dishes and his kids add it to their egg sandwiches.
His product is now selling at six different local outlets, including Truly Northern Farm’s Shed, Triple Star Acre Farm, Season’s Pharmacy, Nickel City Cheese, One Stop Naturals and Adoro Olive Oils and Vinegars.
A registered massage therapist by day, Belisle’s black garlic side hustle keeps him busy in the evenings.
He sells two blackened garlic bulbs for $12. If the bulbs are small, a third bulb is usually included in the package.
Research shows that the fermentation increases the amount of nutrients in garlic and makes it easier to digest and absorb, Belisle said. It’s believed to be loaded with more antioxidants as well. To learn more about The Dukes of Blezard, you’ll have to visit the local retailers.
Belisle believes doing business without social media might be adding to the mystique and exclusivity of the product here in the North.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
