Has anyone else ever heard of garlic scapes? I was perusing through my new cookbook (I got Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson), remarking how few of the ingredients she mentions I’ve ever actually seen in my local grocery store. Teff flour? Pistachio oil? Calendula? Garlic Scapes? I’ve never cooked with any of these things, as delicious as they sound, but even though I now know how to best cook with them I still have no idea where to find them.

Alas, I was heard. My good friend Brian now works at a gardening store in downtown Washington, where they get regular drop-offs from the Lancaster farm CSA. For those who aren’t familiar, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is a great way to support a local farm by buying freshly harvested produce in bulk that is then divided among a community (it’s easy to buy in with a group of friends or a small business). The farm will then come drop off whatever is in season, which right now is garlic scapes. Brian heard me complain and has brought me several dozen whips of garlic scapes and now I can’t get enough.

Garlic scapes are the portion of garlic that grow above ground into tall, green shoots if left unattended. The garlic bulbs we typically think of are the product of a long journey, beginning with a much smaller, greener bulb that produces whip-like tendrils until the bulb ages enough to turn into the familiar beige-opaque garlic peel. At this early in the growing season scapes are abound, but in a few short weeks the season will be over and regular fresh garlic bulbs will return to the shelf.

Scapes are very similar in appearance to chives, shallots and leeks (they belong to the same allium family), but when they are diced it smells and tastes like fresh garlic. I like it much better than the bulb, a little less pungent and more green tasting. They add a remarkable punch to any rice or stir-fry dish, but I wanted to try this new recipe that uses them as more than a garnish and features them as the main attraction in a soup.

It’s ridiculously easy to make, and if you can get your hands on some garlic scapes I strongly recommend it. The soup comes out thin and light, tasting crisp and fresh of new greens. It’s great hot or even better cold after a few hours (or the next day) in the fridge. Feel free to replace the thyme with anything else in your garden that is in abundance– fresh dill or parsley would also go well.

Garlic Scape Soup

Serves 2. Total time: 25 minutes.

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 dozen garlic scapes, green shoots chopped
• 2 small potatoes, preferably russet, unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 handful of spinach leaves, stemmed
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, off the stem
• freshly ground black pepper