The Allium Family

With a sometimes sweet, some times pungent flavor
you are sure to add taste and texture to just about any dish.


   Since the beginning of civilization, onions have been an important part of our diet. Once believed to be a lowly vegetable because of its pungent taste, the onion has emerged as a favorite ingredient in many recipes.
The onion is believed to have originated in Asia, though it is likely that onions may have been growing wild on every continent. Dating back to 3500 BC, onions were one of the few foods that did not spoil during the winter months.

    The ancient Egyptians worshipped the onion, believing that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternity.

   The popularity of the onion eventually carried it into ancient Greece where athletes consumed large quantities because it would "lighten the balance of the blood". After Rome conquered Greece, the onion became a staple in the Roman diet. Gladiators were rubbed down with onion juice to "firm up the muscles".

   As onions expanded into other areas of the world, they continued to be more than just food. During the Middle Ages, physicians prescribed onions to alleviate headaches, snakebites, and even hair loss. Onions, valued as both medicine and food, traveled with the Puritans who settled in the New World.
   It's possible that onions were served at the first Thanksgiving!
Onions


    Bulb Onions are the more well known type, forming rounded
bulbs beneath the surface of the soil.
They can be pungent or sweet, depending on variety, and will generally
store well.
Bulb Onions

    Bunching Onions do not form bulbs, but rather form mild flavored,
thick stems and juicy green tops.
They are generally easier to grow, maturing more quickly than the bulb
types. Some varieties can be overwintered, but they do not store as long

Bunching Onions

A FEW HARVESTING TIPS:

The tall leaves of the Bulb Onion will begin to bend over when the bulb nears maturity.

Before harvesting, carefully bend all the leaves horizontally to the ground, expose the bulb and let it stay in the ground until the leaves turn brown.

Lift the bulbs out of the ground, cut off all the leaves to ½ inch above the bulb, and hang outside in a mesh bag to dry for at least 7 days.

To store, lay in ventilated boxes or mesh bags in a cool, dry area.

Onions should store several months without loss of quality.

When Bunching Onions are half grown, build up soil ¾ inch around the base. This will help keep stems white and tender.
Famed and Framed:: Consuelo Gamboa - Red Onions (Still Life)
Famed and Framed:: Consuelo Gamboa - Red Onions (Still Life)

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