Unusual Uses for Garlic

The American Civic Association is having their annual Garlic Festival Saturday and Sunday. It's interesting that something like garlic would be celebrated, but then again garlic is much more than it seems.

You won't believe what else garlic is used for!

1. We all know that garlic keeps vampires away, but did you know it is also a mosquito repellent? Here's how you make it: let a few minced cloves of garlic infuse an ounce of mineral oil for 24 hours, strain, and mix the garlic-scented oil with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Pour into squirt bottle.

2. Road de-icer. Some cities that ran out of salt this past winter reverted to a garlic road mix. I thought they were crazy. It works, but is a tad pungent.

3. Glass repair. Another surprise! Cut up cloves of garlic and put the juice into hairline cracks. It acts as an adhesive and keeps the fracture from spreading, also repairing it. Don't try it on big cracks, though. It isn't strong enough.

4. Fish bait. Garlic may repel insects, but fish love the stuff. Catfish, trout and bass are particularly fond of it when coated on bait.

5. Splinter removal. Have a tough splinter that won't budge? Reach for the garlic. Place a thin slice of garlic over the too deep to get splinter and keep it there. Within a couple of hours, the offending wood chip should be close enough to the surface to remove.

As far as food uses, you can find plenty of creative ways to use garlic at the Garlic Festival.