Since our Salvatore brothers have left Mystic Falls, we’ve been feeling a little creeped out. Suddenly, shadows in the dark seem sinister (and our alliteration is getting out of hand). We get the feeling we might be in the presence of some spooky supernaturals. To soothe our souls and ease our minds, we’ve been delving into vampire lore for protection against the creatures of the night. We found the old adages about crosses and stakes, but crosses are heavy and stakes can snag our spring wardrobe. We needed something portable and potent. We needed garlic!
Used for centuries to curtail the dreaded Vampire, garlic was the perfect choice for our protection. Besides, since today is National Garlic Day, it’s the perfect time to indulge in some Italian food. But how did garlic become the number one weapon against Dracula? The answer is actually pretty interesting.
The lore surrounding garlic’s effects on vampirism usually comes two fold. First, that garlic is a super strong natural antibiotic, which can help eliminate most infections and has been used for medicines in vastly different cultures. Every civilization, from the Egyptians to Rome to Mesopotamia, had writings and scrolls touting the healing properties of the garlic plant. The second part is more mystical. Because garlic was viewed as the ultimate healer, the bulb took on a reputation of healing not only ordinary illness but the supernatural as well. In East Asian cultures, people smeared garlic on the foreheads of their children to protect them from evil spirits and illness. In the West Indies, natives used garlic as a means of warding off evil practices and magic spells.
This leads us to our sanguine spooks. In most vampire belief systems and lore, vampires are created by an infection which causes them immortality, an allergy to the sun, and the aforementioned bloodthirsty behavior. Naturally, by ingesting garlic and healing the infection, vampires would be “cured” of their illness, but would also be destroyed in the process. Most cultures write about smearing the noxious goodness on faces or wearing it around your neck. But, in Romania (the birthplace of the ultimate vampire, Vlad Dracula), they preferred to eat it.
You know what they say; when in Romania.
Covington has an incredible shop on the Square that will supply all your garlic needs. Town Square Olive Oil has a vast array of delicious olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and gourmet foodstuffs. But, it’s their garlic sea salt that we’re after. Sprinkle it on your popcorn and rim your Extra Bloody Mary glass with the stuff for a supernatural free Sunday Funday. We also adore their garlic infused olive oil and garlic basil pasta. The fresh, hand rolled linguini and fettuccini is always a delight to your dinner guests, though your date may not enjoy the after effects. Don’t have time to stock up on the pungent stuff? Try Amici’s, on the Covington Square! They have incredible clouds of cheesy garlic goodness, known as the Gar Chee Mar. Try an order today and stave off
*We also recommend some mints, if you want to keep your living friends around.
