Garlic Shallots

APPEARANCE: These small members of the onion tribe are round, about the same size as shallots (i.e. 112 inch or so in diameter), and about the same color as garlic (i.e. with a white papery husk), Similarly, like a clove of garlic, but unlike shallots, they are solid rather than layered in cross-section.

QUALITY: Evaluate these as you would onions or garlic, selecting robust, firm individuals with no sign of the black powdery fungus that typically afflicts these vegetables.

COMMENTS: Botanically, these are the first year’s growth of garlic seeds. They are called “rounds” in the horticultural trade, and produce the typical cloven head of garlic when planted out.