I used to peel garlic one papery flake at a time and hate every second of it. My fingers would smell for a day no matter how much soap I used. Then I found the jar trick and never looked back.

The jar shake method

Take a whole head of garlic, break the cloves apart, and toss them into a jar with a lid. An empty pasta sauce jar works great. Screw the lid on and shake it hard for twenty seconds.

The cloves knock against each other and the glass, and the skins just fall off. Open the jar, pick out the naked cloves, and dump the skins. Done.

If shaking is not your thing

There are two other ways I like, depending on how many cloves I need.

• The microwave method: zap the cloves for 15 seconds. The steam loosens the skin so it slides right off. Use this for two or three cloves.
• The silicone tube: roll the clove inside it on the counter with your palm. Same idea as the jar, but quieter and smaller.

A word of warning: the jar method works best with firm, fresh garlic. Old shriveled cloves do not shake clean, so just smash those with the flat of a knife and move on.

I keep a jar next to the stove now. It is the one kitchen gadget I reach for more than almost anything else, and it cost me nothing.