The Garlic Awakens: Toum 'Til You Swoon

Pulse the almonds and salt in a blender until the almonds are crushed. Add the scapes and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the first cup of olive oil, a little at a time, again scraping the sides as necessary. Add the lemon juice and zest and parsley, and blend until the parsley disappears. The second cup of oil is optional. The paste will loosen as you add it, and then, surprisingly, thicken even more.

You can also skip the almonds, for a smoother, creamier final product. In that case, cut the salt in half, and stop at a single cup of oil.

Spread toum on anything that moves. Wrap it in romaine leaves with chunks of feta. Refrigerate or freeze the unused portions.