I guess the same that that qualifies anything as "real". Elephant garlic is not even a "real" garlic. Chinese garlic would never be thought of as "gourmet" anything. As I stated in my articles, just like there are experts in the field of wine, there are experts in the field of garlic. I simply rely on those experts to know what's gourmet and what's not. Remember that "heirloom" is part of that equation as well. Like plants in general, the term heirloom denotes not only age (which is necessary) but quality, proven over time. That's the best explanation I can give you, Sandy.
