I have never thought to plant shallots in any garden I have ever had. I think I secretly believed that they only grew in France! But I thought, seeing seed shallots in the Pleasant Valley seed catalog, (Pleasant Valley Farm & Garden Supply, www.GrowOrganic.com) that I'd give it a shot.
Wow. Shove those little buggers in the ground and (with automatic sprinklers, which, in the desert you must have - the weather will not forgive a day or two off of watering) a few months later pull them up!
These are not the largest or the most beautifully formed but they are tasty. And the bonus, besides saving $4.99 a pound, is that my husband can tolerate them in food much better than onions.
In other news:
If you are in or around (within driving distance) the Coachella Valley and you fancy getting involved in a local farm you can partake of the Sky Valley Ranch CSA (Community Support Agreement) Program just begun last week. (http://www.sky-valley-ranch.com) We made our way on Saturday to the ranch to pick a box of vegetables, a loaf of foccacia bread and cannelloni. This is the first opportunity I have had to join a CSA program and I am happy to do it. Besides supporting local growing, which is always a good thing, we got a delicious cantelope, avocados (anyone? I can't eat them and the rest of the family won't!), the best cucumber I've ever had, some tarragon, three beefsteak tomatoes (already gone) and about a pound and a half of okra, which I've never cooked before. Another bonus of a CSA program - forced expanse of eating horizons!
