Shalom Shallot!

Shallots – don’t you just love them using them in cooking?  When I use them, I feel so Julia Child/French/cultured 🙂   They are a milder onion flavor and are used in cuisines from Borneo to Berlin.

Originating in Southwest Asia, shallots can be pickled, dried, dry-stirfried, hung to dry, or sliced fresh.

The word ‘shallot’ and ‘scallion’ come from the Israeli city of Ashkelon (Ashkalonia in Latin).  An ancient port full of merchants selling and buying everything from Charlemagne’s France to Kublai Khan’s China.  Most probably, the shallot was available in the markets and the western visitors, upon seeing the new form of onion, named the item for the city whence it came.  The shallot must have made a huge hit there to be named after the city.  Sort of like a Philly Cheese steak (well sort of).  Happy Saturn’s Day!!!