Sweet Garleeks
Estimated Inventory, 24 ct : 0
This item was last sold on : 11/14/24
Description/Taste
Sweet Garleeks are small to medium alliums, measuring approximately 40 to 50 centimeters in length and 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter. They are comprised of layers of ribbed, flat white leaves that wrap around the core of the Garleek, extending upwards in a fan-like shape. The wrapped layers are white at the root and gradually change in color from white to lime-green, to a deep greenish blue at the leaf’s end. Each Sweet Garleek is attached to small white roots. Sweet Garleek has a pungent onion, garlic aroma with grassy notes. The vegetable features a robust garlic flavor when raw that mellows into a buttery, sweet, and grassy flavor similar to cooked garlic and leeks.
Seasons/Availability
Sweet Garleek is available spring through fall.
Current Facts
Sweet Garleek is a hybrid vegetable created by Row 7 Seeds, a team of farmers and chefs who work to develop unique and highly flavorful vegetables. The aromatic vegetable, botanically classified as Allium porrum, was developed by breed selecting and hybridizing leeks with favorable growing qualities. The resulting product resembles a leek with a distinct garlicky flavor. The entire stock of Sweet Garleek is edible and can be used in any recipe calling for leeks, garlic, green garlic, or scallions. The allium is favored by farmers because it grows more quickly than regular leeks, and unlike green garlic, it can be planted and harvested multiple times throughout the year. During development, the aromatic bulb was trialed over multiple seasons to a network of 150 chefs and growers. Sweet Garleek was soft launched in 2023 at Whole Foods in New York where it quickly grew in popularity resulting in an 82% sell-through rate. The vegetable’s reach expanded to the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and West Coast in 2024 with plans to expand across the United States of America in 2025.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of Sweet Garleek has not been extensively studied, however the leek hybrid is expected to have similar nutritional qualities to its parent allium. Leeks are a rich source of vitamin B6 for brain and nervous system development, as well as Vitamin K to support healthy blood coagulation and wound healing. Leeks are a significant source of dietary fiber as well as a variety of minerals such as iron, manganese, and folate, a nutritional element beneficial for women, especially during pregnancy. Leeks are a significant source of prebiotics which can help develop healthy gut bacteria and aid digestion.
Applications
Sweet Garleek is highly aromatic with a sweet, grassy, and garlicky flavor. The entire stalk of the vegetable is edible and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. When cooked, Sweet Garleek’s flavor mellows and develops sweet, buttery nuances. The layers of the stalk can hold dirt from the vegetable’s growing process so it is best to cut the layers in half through the stalk, separate the leaves, and clean between them. Garleek can be used in recipes calling for leeks, green garlic, or garlic cloves. The full stalks can be charred or fire-roasted and served with grilled steak or they can be sliced and sauteed with butter, mushrooms, and other spring vegetables. Sweet Garleeks can be cut into round slices and added to baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, or stir-fry. The alliums can be used to create a savory marmalade or chutney, or they can be used to garnish creamy soups featuring leeks, potatoes, or clams. Sweet Garleek is an incredibly versatile ingredient that pairs well with a variety of flavor across many different cuisines. The aromatic vegetable complements poultry, beef, and bacon, as well as lobster, shrimp, and other seafood. Sweet Garleek can be paired with other alliums including onions, shallots, and scallions; spring vegetables including morel mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, and sweet peas; root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and beets, and starches such as potatoes and hard squash. The leek hybrid complements soft and hard cheeses, cream-based soups and sauces, and rice and grain dishes. Sweet Garleek will stay fresh longer if the stalks are rolled in a dry paper towel, placed in a plastic bag, and stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The creation of Sweet Garleek was a decade long project for Row 7 Seeds. The project began when Hans Bongers, a breeder with extensive experience working with garlic and leeks around the world, found a leek variety with uniformly straight shafts and a distinct garlic flavor. Knowing he had discovered something special, Hans Bongers spent the next decade using a combination of cross pollination and breed selection to develop a variety with sweet grassy notes of leek, pungent garlic flavor, and thin attractive shafts. Once Hans Bongers was confident in his creation, he worked with Row 7’s culinary director, Patch Troffer, to test the new leek. Patch Troffer collaborated with 150 farmers and chefs across the world to gather their opinions on how the leeks grew and how they tasted. Sweet Garleeks were a hit, growing quicker than traditional leeks with multiple growing seasons per year, and featuring a unique and versatile flavor that was both attractive and completely waste-free. Row 7 Seeds then partnered with 11 organic farms across the United States to begin growing Sweet Garleek for commercial sale. They launched their revolutionary allium in 2023 at only 25 Whole Foods Markets in New York. In 2024, Row 7 Seeds expanded their reach into the Mid-Atlantic and West Coast markets, with the goal of releasing Sweet Garleek across the United States by 2025.
Geography/History
Sweet Garleek is a leek hybrid that was developed by Row 7 Seeds in collaboration with farms across the United States. Leeks are originally native to the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East and have been used as a food and medicinal source for over 3,000 years. Ancient Egyptians were the first culture to cultivate the allium variety. The Romans spread the vegetable to Europe and into Great Britain. Today the aromatic vegetable can be found growing across temperate climates around the world. The Sweet Garleek leek variety is a relatively new vegetable that was developed during the 2010s and released to a limited market in New York in 2023. In 2024 Sweet Garleek was grown across 11 farms partnered with Row 7 Seeds and distributed at Wholefoods locations in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Row 7 Seeds intends to release their Sweet Garleeks in stores across the United States by 2025.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-759-6063 |
| Tribute Pizza | San Diego CA | 858-220-0030 |
| Fort Oak | San Diego CA | 619-795-6901 |
| Addison Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-350-7600 |
| Joya Kitchen | San Diego CA | 619-255-5979 |
| Rancho Valencia New Restaurant | Del Mar CA | 858-756-1123 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| The Go Go Truck | San Diego CA | 401-837-1740 |
| The Plot | Oceanside CA | 422-266-8200 |
| Le Coq | La Jolla CA | 858-427-1500 |
| Jeune Et Jolie | Carlsbad CA | 858-231-0862 |
| Juniper & Ivy | San Diego CA | 858-481-3666 |
| Callie | San Diego CA | 619-947-9036 |
| Rancho Bernardo Inn (Avant) | San Diego CA | 858-675-8505 |
| Wrench and Rodent | Oceanside CA | 760-840-1976 |
| Justin Hoehn | San Diego CA | 619 326 8895 |
| Alila Marea Beach Resort | Encinitas CA | 805-539-9719 |
| Palmys | San Diego CA | 858-886-7111 |
| 31ThirtyOne by Deckman | San Diego CA | 619-495-9814 |
