Similarly, today’s 5 grams of garlic is not always the same as tomorrow’s 5 grams of garlic. On top of that, how you break down each clove matters, as the flavor intensifies the finer you cut it.

For example, so many recipes call for amounts along the lines of “2 cloves of garlic, minced” or “3 cloves of garlic, chopped,” but when I break apart a head of garlic, the individual ...