| Believe it or not, I actually hate | | | | colored varieties we've just discussed. |
| onions in my food. Whenever I detect the | | | | But if you noticed, The top onion |
| sharp and pungent flavor of an onion in | | | | producer in 2005, according to the UN |
| my meal, I cringe to myself a little and | | | | Food and Agriculture Organization, was |
| slowly pick through my food, trying to | | | | China, followed by India, who was |
| avoid the onions at all costs. So why am | | | | followed by the United States. The third |
| I writing an article about them? Well as | | | | top onion producer, Americans harvested |
| it turns out, I'm alone in my opinion on | | | | 3.3 million tons of onions in 2005. |
| onions...and the rest of you Americans | | | | Celebrating the Onion Idaho-Eastern |
| and world-class citizens love the bulby | | | | Oregon Onion Festival Why do onions make |
| oddities. So who am I to deny you an | | | | us cry? You've probably noticed that |
| onion education -we wouldn't want you | | | | when you cut up a raw onion, your eyes |
| crying over an onion, would we? Oh but | | | | start to tear. A common problem for |
| you already have. So here's my guide to | | | | every onion chopper, this happens |
| the onion. I hope you find it helpful as | | | | because of the enzymes in an onion. |
| we'll go through some of its history, | | | | Since the onion is being chopped, the |
| some interesting facts, and of course - | | | | cells are being broken - allowing the |
| the best of the best onion recipes. The | | | | enzymes to be released. The enzymes in |
| National Onion Association classifies | | | | an onion are called allianases and they |
| onions into two categories: spring | | | | react to the sulfides in the |
| summer fresh onions and the fall/winter | | | | onion-chopping environment to create a |
| storage variety. These fresher onions | | | | sulfuric acid gas. This gas is |
| are available April through August while | | | | immediately composed and released into |
| the dryer storage onions turn up more | | | | the air, therefore reaching your eyes. |
| often August through April. Both come in | | | | Our eyes' nerve endings are irritated by |
| red, white and yellow forms, but the | | | | sulfuric acid, therefore inducing |
| spring/summer onions are said to be | | | | uncontrollable "crying." Cooks |
| sweeter, moister, and milder. Therefore | | | | Thesauraus recommends chilling onions |
| used in sweeter dishes, the fall/winter | | | | first to avoid tearing. "If you're prone |
| kind is used for savory dishes. The most | | | | to crying while cutting onions, try |
| common onion is the yellow onion. Not | | | | chilling them first, then peeling them |
| only is most of American onion | | | | under running water. Always cook onions |
| production (for more information on | | | | over low or medium heat, since they |
| domestic onion production, click here) | | | | become bitter at high temperatures." |
| focused on yellow onions, but their full | | | | Onion Recipes Worth Crying Over Onions |
| flavor is suitable for a wide range of | | | | turn up in all sorts of dishes, from |
| cooking, most notable French Onion Soup. | | | | appetizers and soups even to desserts. |
| Red onions are used more often in | | | | They are one of the most widely used |
| salads, and other fresh uses, or for | | | | ingredient, not just across dishes but |
| grilling or broiling, according to the | | | | across cultural cuisine. Here are some |
| National Onion Association. White onions | | | | recipes worth trying out: Recipes that |
| show up quite a bit in Mexican cuisine | | | | focus on onions: Tandoori Onion Salad |
| and have a sweet flavor when sauteed. | | | | Onions Au Gratin Caramelized Red Bell |
| Others argue All of these varieties | | | | Peppers and Onions French Onion Soup |
| range in size - from 1 inch to 4.5 | | | | Brown-Braised Onions Baked Onions Onion |
| inches in diameter. For a more specific | | | | Tart (Pissaladiere) Onion Bhajis Indian |
| guide to the different varieties of | | | | Pickled Onions Tomato and Onion Salad |
| onions including vidalia, walla walla, | | | | with Tahini Dressing Onion Rings Recipes |
| and Texas, click here. "Onions should be | | | | that use onion as a supplement: Onion |
| firm and heavy for their size. Avoid | | | | Meatball Supper Braised Artichokes with |
| onions that have sprouted or that have | | | | Little Onions and Bacon Grilled Sirloin |
| an odor, or that have green or moldy | | | | and Red Onions with Blue Cheese Butter |
| blemishes," says Cooks Thesaurus, who | | | | Onion Chicken Breasts Cranberry Onion |
| offers up some helpful advice on | | | | Pork Roast Grilled Bratwurst and Onion |
| purchasing and cooking onions. Another | | | | Sandwiches Onion-Beef Fettucine Corn and |
| way to classify an onion is by its type: | | | | Onion Casserole Sources: National Onion |
| bulb, multiplier (a derivation of the | | | | Association Cooks Thesaurus UN Food and |
| bulb onion) or tree onions. The most | | | | Agriculture Organization Hillary Marshak |
| common form is bulb, which includes the | | | | is a writer and editor for an up and |
| sweet onions like vidalia, and all the | | | | coming recipe sharing Website. |