peeling garlic

It's been a chilly, overcast Sunday. In the morning I did a bit of exploring and grocery shopping with E in Flushing and spent the afternoon peeling garlic to make 腊八蒜, or Chinese pickled garlic, which is one of my favorite things to eat. The pickling smooths out the garlic's sharp edges and leaves it tangy and deep green, making it the perfect complement for dumplings. At home we add soy sauce and sugar to the brine and I eat the garlic and its sweet brine with just about everything. One of the recurring themes of adulthood for me is trying to do things I got used to having growing up and realizing how hard they are. Pickling garlic is one such thing. I've spent maybe two hours straight peeling (admittedly somewhat distractedly as I watched the City vs Arsenal game back) only to end up with a single mason jar worth of garlic. My parents — or more accurately, my mom — made it look so easy. There is always a big jar in the fridge every time I come home and now I know how much time it…