Using a garlic press gives you the most pungent results, along with garlic’s heat. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Whole cloves are ideal for long, slow braises or high-heat roasts; they hold up during long cooking applications. Another great way to use whole garlic is by cooking it slowly in olive oil, confit ...

If you have several cloves to peel, working one at a time can be time-consuming. This is when the shaking comes in handy.

Just adjust the cooking time appropriately. For the recipe pictured, I used ground spices, but if you want a lighter color for the sauce, use one small cinnamon stick and two whole cloves.