You will need a pressure canner and lots of garlic to make this recipe. I recommend that you grow your own garlic or buy it at a farmer’s market, but any garlic will work. Make this in small jars, as a few cloves go a long way in the flavor department. Half-pints are best, and don’t go larger than a pint. Using anything larger than a pint could mess up the sealing process — pressure canning recipes are designed for size and time, so changing the size of a jar can screw up the calculus. Stick to half-pints and pints.
Use the best ingredients you can. Break out a good olive oil here. It doesn’t have to be the ultra premium variety, but you will notice the difference between extra virgin and crappy processed oils. Paul Virant’s original recipe calls for champagne vinegar, which is nice, but I prefer sherry vinegar because it is darker and a bit more assertive. Malt vinegar would be another good choice. I also use more olive oil and less sugar than Paul does.
Once you make these, the garlic should store in the shelf for a year or more. Keep the jars in the fridge once you’ve opened them.