Garlic in food

I made an interesting discovery today about the smell and aftertaste of garlic. This is what happened:

I was making some hummus b'tahine, which I prefer to be quite garlicky. Not overly so, though, I usually use one large clove for one can of chick peas (cca 400 ml), and I always press it into the blender with a garlic press. Today I had the smart idea to put half of the chickpeas into the blender first, add the garlic, blend it smooth, then add the rest. I did so, it became nice and smooth, but no garlic smell and taste. Hmmm, I say, a new species of garlic they sold me...! I added another, even larger clove. Still no garlic smell. Oh, all right, says I, let me just finish the whole thing. I can go over to the store later and get another, fresher bulb.

When I was done, I could not help having a taste with a bit of fresh pita. First the same bland taste, then "Ya Allaaaah!", the aftertaste hit me like a firebreathing dragon's breath after it ate its way through an entire garlic patch! And then I figured it out: garlic needs oxygen to produce its characteristic aroma. Since I blended in whole cloves, it did not have a chance to develop it. Until, of course, it spread around on my tongue, when its essential oils (allinaise) finally got the chance to properly mix with oxygen, blossoming into this powerful aftertaste.

I wasn't entirely unaware of this before. After all for years I have roasted whole garlic bulbs, and baked Garlic Chicken with 20 whole garlic cloves shoved under its skin, knowing full well that if the cloves are left uncut, the smell does not become overpowering. But I never before experienced such a dramatic example of the oxydization process! :)