Wild shallots are found in the Near East and the Orient. Probably they were already used in the Mediterranean area, in the Crete of the ancient Greeks. However, the written references are not clear, they could refer just as much to the normal kitchen onion. Their history in Europe runs parallel to the kitchen onion at least since the early Middle Ages. In the Carolingian directories they are mentioned under the name ‘ascalonias’ next to the kitchen onion ‘cepas’. The name probably comes from the city of Ascalon in present-day Israel. There the crusaders came across the shallots and probably brought them to our area for a second time.
Cultural significance and use – Shallots are finer than onions. Their aroma is stronger and sweeter, which is why they are preferred to regular kitchen onions, especially in French cuisine. However, their small, irregularly shaped partial onions are a tiny bit more elaborate to prepare. Therefore, in modern gastronomy they are used only in very high class, and for the same reason, most housewives and househusbands also prefer the simple kitchen onion.
External and internal characteristics – The shallot is planted in autumn or spring. The plant is perennial, grows about 20 cm high and forms hollow stems that are not inflated. By the following summer, it forms five to seven new shallot bulbs, which are harvested about July, after the foliage has faded away.
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