Calçot () is a type of green onion. The name ''calçot'' comes from the

Catalan language Catalan (; autonym: , ), known in the Valencian Community and Carche as ''Valencian'' (autonym: ), is a Western Romance language. It is the official language of Andorra, and an official language of three autonomous communities in eastern ...

. The calçot from

Valls Valls () is a city and municipality in the province of Tarragona in Catalonia, Spain. According to the 2014 census it has a population of 24,570. Valls is known for its calçots – a type of scallion or green onion – and the human towers tradi ...

(

Tarragona Tarragona (, ; Phoenician: ''Tarqon''; la, Tarraco) is a port city located in northeast Spain on the Costa Daurada by the Mediterranean Sea. Founded before the fifth century BC, it is the capital of the Province of Tarragona, and part of Tarr ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

) is a registered EU Protected Geographical Indication. Calçots are milder and less bulbous than

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onio ...

s and have a length of between 15 and 25 cm (white part) and a

diameter In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints lie on the circle. It can also be defined as the longest chord of the circle. Both definitions are also valid fo ...

of 1.7 to 2.5 cm at the root. Planted in trenches, like an onion, as a single bulb, and successively increasing the depth of the soil around the stems throughout autumn and winter (see earthing up), they sprout into 4–10 shoots, roughly the shape of small leeks or

scallion Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus '' Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, c ...

s. The origin of the ''calçot'' and its cooking method is in the town of

, where an annual event celebrates the harvest of calçots. Nowadays, thousands of eating gatherings centered around the ''calçots'', called ''calçotades'' (singular: ''calçotada''), are celebrated around Catalonia. In these events, they are grilled over a hot fire, wrapped up in newspaper, served on

terra cotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta ...

tiles and eaten, after peeling with bare hands, by dipping them one by one in salvitxada sauce.

Etymology

The origin of the word calçot comes from term "calçar" in Catalan, which corresponds to

hilling Hilling, earthing up or ridging is the technique in agriculture and horticulture of piling soil up around the base of a plant. It can be done by hand (usually using a hoe), or with powered machinery, typically a tractor attachment. Hilling burie ...

. Hence the word "calçot" roughly mean "that which has been hilled". This is due to the fact that calçots get their characteristic shape and texture from this process. The word "calçar" itself literally means "to shoe", and ultimately derives from the Latin ''

calceus The calceus (pl. ''calcei'': cf Latin ''calx'' "ankle") was a mid-weight, outdoor walking "shoe-boot", worn in ancient Rome. It was flat-soled, usually hobnailed and entirely covered the foot and ankle, up to the lower shin. It was secured with c ...

'', a type of footwear that covered the ankle and lower shin - hence its use by analogy in this context.

Origin

The origin of the variety is disputed, but one of the most commonly accepted versions nsubstantiatedof its history is that they were developed by Xat de Benaiges, a peasant farmer from Valls around the turn of the 20th century. He is said to have been the first to have planted the sprouts of garden onions, covering them with earth so a longer portion of the stems remained white and edible.

Calçotada

The most traditional way of eating calçots is at a ''calçotada'' (plural: ''calçotades''), a gastronomical celebration held between November and April, where barbecued calçots are consumed in massive quantities."The Calçotada: From Spain to Your Backyard" (February 25, 2013) Catavino
/ref> In a typical event, calçots are grilled until the outer layers are charred, then wrapped in newspaper to steam, served on

tiles and eaten after peeling off the charred skin with bare hands and dipping the white portion in '' salvitxada'' or romesco sauce. The green tops are discarded. It's customary to wear a large bib for the sauce stains. The calçots can be accompanied by red wine or cava sparkling wine. Pieces of meat and bread slices are often roasted in the charcoal after cooking the calçots. For dessert, a typical choice is oranges and white cava. A Catalan Barbecue March/ April 2014 page 112 AFAR

Gallery

File:Calçots arrancats.jpg, Pulling up calçots Image:calcotada.JPG, Calçots roasting during a calçotada Image:Calçotada in 2007 01.JPG, Handling Calçots Image:Calçots i romesco.jpg, Roasted calçots with romesco sauce for dipping

Etymology

Origin

Calçotada

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading