Help! When to Remove Garlic Germ?

Question:“I would like to know if it’s mandatory to remove the garlic germ before cooking? Some books just call for crushing the garlic clove and other recommends to split the clove and take the germ off. For now I didn’t notice a real change of taste. Can you clarify this, please?”
Sent by Laura

Editor: Generally, the germ is pale, small, and tender when garlic is young. And as the garlic ages, the germ turns green, and develops an unpleasantly bitter taste. You should better remove the germ if you plan to use garlic raw or quickly cooked. But, if you’re slow-cooking the garlic in a braise, stew, or soup, or if you want it roasted whole, you can skip this step because longer cooking tames down the bitterness.