French Grey Shallot

I first got my French Grey shallots from a local farmers market in 2013 after an extensive search. A couple years ago, I nearly lost them, when I accidentally threw out my seed shallots while cleaning the fridge bottom draw. Yes Mom, I clean out the fridge occasionally. Luckily a few sprang up from the previous season that I had missed in harvest

I planted them all last year to try increase my stock and this year my harvest was much more respectable. The larger (since none of these can really be called large) I put onto a tray to dry a bit, the smaller are for planting. Yes, unlike garlic, the theory I have read is that you plant the smaller shallots as seed shallots. I have not tested this theory. but then returns have not being bad. I usually plant in October, a few weeks before garlic, although I am wanting to see if a sustainable patch can be created. Simply leaving them in an area and harvesting only as needed.

These are still the most amazing flavoured onion, almost rivalling garlic for potency, but with an amazing rich and complex onion flavour. Not for salad, for that I love walla walla for sweat juiciness. In gravy, stuffing and other baked or cooked dishes, they are simply awesome, although they can be a bit of work to prepare due to their diminutive size and tough skin. Still value per square foot, these are high on my list of favourites for small gourmet garden that simply difficult to find in store.

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beans and Garlic

Well, with the last 2 weeks hot weather, I have eventually got some ripe tomatoes. Usually I get these the first week of July, so we are a full 2-3 weeks late this year. The cucumbers and beans are also kicking in. I forgot to add a zucchini and the green chillies (Raja) I picked. I also harvested the first of the garlic... sorry neighbours I reek.

With sheep's milk cheese, some mustard greens and a bit of cucumber, a ciabatta roll and a steak, summer fare all done on the bbq - my typical summer fare.  Yummy