Food

Food Information

Vegetables

Onions

SHALLOTS

At first glance the shallot looks like a very small, old yellow onionbut it is actually one of the most elegant members of the onion family.The dull, copper-colored, parchment-skinned exterior hides a very distinctiveflavor that is somewhere between that of garlic and onion. The shallot ishighly prized by French chefs; the French word for shallot, eshalote, isincorporated in many haute cuisine recipes.

Shallots are available twelve months of the year, but as a rule those thatare available in July and August aren't as good as the ones that arrivein the cooler months. Most of our shallots are produced in New Jersey andLong Island, but a fair supply is imported from France. They are quite hardyand will keep for a month or two if stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilatedarea.

Shop for shallots as you would for garlic or dry onions. Select those thatare very firm, dry, free from sprouting, and well covered with the parchment-likeskin. And be prepared to be greeted by lofty price tags when purchasingthem; the limited demand usually exceeds the limited supply.

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