Photo by Julia McSharry for The Lafayette

Several Easton businesses lined the festival’s walkways.

For the last 20 years, the Easton community has gathered together to celebrate one of the most beautiful facets of culinary life: garlic. Garlic can turn the blandest dish into a must-have experience. But it doesn’t always fit and can sometimes take away from the overall experience. And so, on a sleepy Sunday morning, I journeyed into downtown Easton with the goal of trying as many garlicky dishes as my stomach could handle.

Biggest disappointment: Garlic-filled pierogis from The Pierogi Kings

Those who know me know how much I love a good pierogi. But these three pierogies turned out to be too much of a good thing. The garlic spread buried beneath the well-baked, egregiously over-salted pierogi crust was so overpowering that it became unpleasant. The almost-spicy sensation lingered on my tongue long after I had finished the dish.

Garlic masala fries from Aman’s Artisan Indian Cuisine. (Photo by Tim Ayres ’30)

Biggest crowdpleaser: Garlic masala fries from Aman’s Artisan Indian Cuisine

Dozens of festival-goers lined up to try these incredibly well-spiced fries. At this well-manned tent, customers gave a small ticket, provided at the front counter, to an employee and received a generous supply of fries doused in spiced yogurt. Not your typical french fry, these were very soggy and the portions were almost too much. Still, it was a culturally unique dish that left many customers asking for a second helping.

Garlic pork belly from La Kang Thai Kup. (Photo by Tim Ayres ‘30)

Biggest success: Garlic pork belly from La Kang Thai Kup

I am by no means a super-fan of pork belly, which I often find too fatty for its own good. But at this French-Thai fusion truck, the pork belly was incredibly tender and balanced out by the acidity of the pickled onions. It all lay on top of a bed of aromatic, crispy rice that complemented the rest of the meal perfectly. All in all, it was a perfect dish and one that I will be on the lookout for next year.

Biggest surprise: Garlic ice cream from Greek Street

Garlic ice cream from Greek Street. (Photo by Tim Ayres ’30)

The idea of garlic ice cream might sound repugnant, but the ice cream at this truck is incredibly creamy and delicious, as long as you avoid the garlic cloves peppered throughout each scoop. Dozens of customers tried their hand at the strange ice cream, and though it didn’t seem to be everybody’s cup of tea, customers could be heard urging their friends and family to give it a try, even if just to get a photo of their shocked reactions.