Whether grown as an ornamental or for food, garlic chives usually is treated as a semi-permanent crop, and left in place for several years. The flavor, at once sweet and garlic-like, is useful in salads, stir fries and soups. It goes well in egg dishes and with fish. I use garlic chives raw in salads and as a substitute for chives. The flavor is best in winter, especially after a few frosts.
Younger leaves are more tender than older ones.
In China, garlic chives usually is cooked as a vegetable potherb rather than used as a flavoring in other dishes. The Chinese often blanch alternate crops of garlic chives. Blanching causes the garlic chives to yellow and gives them a softer texture. Typically, the garlic chives are cut back, then shaded for 3-4 weeks before harvesting the pale yellow leaves. A simple way to do this is to cover with a layer of straw.