Shallot Varieties

French Shallots

• French shallots with pinkish-brown skin and pinkish-purple flesh are grown in abundance. Varieties of French shallots include the Jermor, which is grown in the French shallot region of Brittany. It mixes well with dark fowl meats, and the green tops are used like chives in food preparation. Other French varieties include the Hative de Niort and Grise de Bagnole. The Hative has a deep-brown skin, while the Grise is gray. Both have pear-shaped bulbs with white flesh. The Grise de Bagnole doesn't fall apart when cooked, stores well and has a unique flavor.

Dutch Shallots

• Dutch shallots feature an orangey-yellow skin.They are larger than the French varieties, round, and have a copper skin and a stronger taste than other shallots. Dutch shallots are the variety found most often in supermarkets. Unlike their hardier French cousins, Dutch shallots are best planted in the spring. Pikant shallots, one of the earliest cataloged Dutch reds, has an intense flavor and grows abundantly through the summer. Its reddish-brown bulb is known to last a long time after harvesting. The Golden Gourmet, a large, golden-brown Dutch shallot has a strong flavor, stores well and is in the markets in January.

Banana Shallot

• The largest variety of shallot is the banana or echalion shallot, originating in France and Italy. Named because of its size and shape, the large shallot's tan skin hides a delicate flavor. Its size make it easier to use than the numerous smaller shallots required for the same quantity in a recipe.

Potato Shallot

• Also referred to as the potato onion, the potato shallot is a perennial grown mainly in Ireland. True to its name, the shape resembles a potato. Different than a traditional French shallot, the potato shallot is round and its leaves grow in one clump rather than in shoots. The potato shallot has a bronze-red skin and grows as a yellow, white or red variety. Potato onions are hardy, prefer a cold climate and keep for several months.