Pushing up the daisies

That got your attention didn't it? I admit to being a bit crazy about alliums, onions garlic etc.
And this year's crop promises to be a good one.
I harvested my garlic. It is definitely an improvment on the year before's crop. And yet I used supermarket garlic! A Spanish variety! They are not mega bulbs but they are bigger than last year's and they smell wonderful! I got about 20 good bulbs, I am thrilled. (please note the photos here are not mine, worse luck, but I just felt like being decorative).

I love onions, there is something wonderful about a crop that keeps for so long. I have just been flattening my onions, hoping for better bulbs, like the ones on the pic below (again not mine but the variety is similar).

When they start poking through the ground, it's very satisfying. I have already tasted some red onions that were starting to bolt, they are sweet and tasty (I planted Red Baron and they have been not too bad, although on the whole they are not as good as the yellows.)

But the ones that fascinate me the most are the shallots/echalotes. I planted two varieties this year, some round red ones and some Jermor, "chicken leg" ones, which gives the nice elongated shallots with an excellent flavor.
I love the way the shallots divide and end up like a little crown, pushing outwards as they grow. I have pulled up a couple that were a little damaged and they were delicious, in a plain green salad, chopped finely.

Labels: onions, summer