You might not necessarily think of onions and garlic as being in season right now, but I’m here to tell you, it’s so. Within the last few weeks, many local growers have harvested vast quantities of these alliums, and while the garlic, if cured properly, can be stored for many months, the onions won’t fare as well.

We planted over 3,000 onions in early February (which, believe it or not, is modest compared to a lot of farms) so are now scrambling to get them all stored, sold, or eaten before the humidity ruins them. A friend just reminded me, however, that I could chop and freeze onions for up to a year.

If I use my old food processor, I expect I could easily chop enough in an hour or so to last me through winter. I’m imagining the time it will save since I start so many meals (and virtually all my soups) by sautéing chopped onion.

We’re all familiar with the sweet Vidalia variety, and though I think it’s safe to say that for us, they’re pretty local, several of the ones grown a bit closer to home rival the Vidalia’s flavor. The yellow “Granex” (which is, in fact, the Vidalia variety), “Candy,” and “Texas Supersweet” are all worthy substitutes. There are also some sweet reds available right now. And while you wouldn’t know it from shopping at Kroger, there are many, many types of garlic to choose from, with varying degrees of heat.

Most anything you might want to can this summer will be enhanced by the addition of garlic and onions, such as relishes, tomato sauce, salsas, and pickles of all sorts. Because we always have garlic, we’ve gotten into the habit of using it most every day in some form or fashion. It gives just enough kick to salad dressings, and roasted, it makes a healthy, flavorful spread for bread. (“Chesnok” and “Inchelium” reds are particularly good for roasting.)

Once cold and flu season rolls around, it’s good to have plenty of garlic on hand, as it’s a natural antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting food.  At the first sign of a sniffle, I crush a garlic clove and steep it in hot water for a few minutes, drink the “tea,” and consume the clove (which isn’t so pungent after steeping in hot water). I honestly can’t say when I last had a cold.

So, now's the time to try some new varieties of onions and garlic while they’re plentiful. You’ll be surprised by how different one onion, or bulb of garlic, can taste from another. You might even be inspired to grow some of your own, just be sure to mark your calendar. In Athens, garlic does best when planted in the fall, ahead of the first frost.

Here are simple instructions for roasting garlic:

Peel away the papery skin of a few large heads of garlic and arrange, root side down, in a baking dish or on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, cover (or seal the foil) and bake at 400 degrees. Check after 20 minutes or so. When done, the garlic will be soft and easy to squeeze from its skin.