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Onions are a member of Lily family.

Roughly, there are two types of onions: storage onions and sweet onions. That kind of distinction is very arbitrary, though -- you could just as easily class them on shape or colour; growers will also class them based on how many hours of daylight are needed to get them to form bulbs.

Onions form a bulb when the temperature and the number of daylight hours hit the right combination for them which triggers their clock. Until that happens, onions use the daylight to produce a good deal of top growth before they form bulbs (and the more top growth, the bigger the bulb.) When the day reaches the right number of hours for that variety of onion, the onion will stop forming top growth, and form a bulb instead. The size of the bulb that eventually forms depends on the size of the "stalks", and the number of them. There will be 1 ring in the onion for every stalk that formed, and the larger the stalk, the larger each ring will be. Bulb formation will pause though during dry, very hot or very cold weather.

Onions are ready to pick when their tops have wilted, fallen over and dried out. After being pulled from the ground, they are generally left on top of the ground in the garden for a day or two to dry, if the weather is cooperative. Onions then need to be "cured" before storing. Curing takes about two weeks in a warm, ventilated area; they are ready to store when the outer skin is dry, and the necks are completely dry and tight.

When buying onions, choose firm onions that are hefty for their size; don't buy ones that have sprouted, or that have mould patches. Onions should be dry, not damp. The skin should be crackly and tight around the top.

If a recipe just calls for "onion", it means a "Globe Onion", which is the variety, yellow (aka brown) or white, that has become our unsung, workaday-hero onion.

In general, red and Spanish onions will add a touch of sweetness to a dish; while yellow or white onions add a more savoury note.

Yellow Globe Onions (aka Brown Onions)

These are the ones that people mean when they just say "yellow onions." Having a higher sulphur content than White Globe Onions, they are more likely to make your eyes tear up. They generally have a somewhat longer storage life than White Globe Onions. They also carmelize better than the white ones, becoming a richer brown. Their flavour also changes to sweet and mild when carmelized. Inside the onions have a yellowish tinge. Sometimes, they are called "Brown Onions" in reference to their brown skin.

White Globe Onions

These are the ones that people mean when they just say "white onions." They have a tangier, less complex taste than yellow onions.

Storage Onions

These onions are high in sulphur compounds and lower in water, so they store better, but have more zap to them. Usually best cooked, to sweeten them. Will have 3 to 5% sugar content.

Onion Juice

Cut an onion in half, and juice it with a lemon juicer.

Cooking Tips
When you are barbequing, toss peelings from onions onto hot coals while cooking for a wonderful, aromatic smell. Even keep a few onion skins from previous peelings in a bag in the freezer so you have them on hand for this. There's absolutely no point to this, granted, beyond making your neighbours slather.

Cooking onions at high heat will just burn them and make them bitter. A low heat, medium at the most, will sweeten them.

None of the solutions for peeling onions in a tearless fashion works. Some people will have you peel onions under running water. How wasteful is that -- clearly they're not on a water meter. Some are even downright silly, such as wearing goggles in the kitchen. For Pete's sake, a good cry never hurt any one. Just throw on Patsy Cline music and make the most of it. (Actually, the goggles might be okay, if you get to wear a really cool scarf at the same time.)

But seriously, you've just got to grin and bear it, and if you are doing a lot and are overwhelmed, plan to give yourself a 5 minute break so you can see again.

I have read a few times that onions chopped in a food processor won't cook properly. Pshaw. If you're chopping a great deal of onions, haul out the food processor. If you're just doing one or two, do them manually.

To chop or slice an onion manually, peel it first. Then slice it in half vertically, so that each half has part of the root in it.

To chop:
Lay a half on the flat side, and make top to bottom cuts starting at the root end (without cutting through the root. You want the root to be attached up until the last minute, so that it can hold things together for you) up to what was the top. Then, make horizontal cuts in, from the top to the root (again, not going through the root). The last cut is done with the knife at a right angle to the top or the root, with the handle of the knife moving towards you. Start at the top of the onion, and make the cuts, and the pieces of onion will fall off in a dice. How large the dice is depends on how broad you made your three cuts. Cut through almost to the root end, then just discard the root end.

To chop in a food processor, peel and quarter the onions. For the food processor, use the blade that goes into the bowl. Pop about 15 to 20 quarters of onion at a time in, and whiz just until chopped. You need to keep your eye on it, as it can go from chopped to puréed in the blink of an eye. But if you're chopping loads of onion for freezing, this is the only way to fly.

To slice:
Just make one slice, either top to root or cross-wise, depending on how you want the slices to end up. When finished, slice off the root end, and the slices will separate for you.

Substitutes
Leeks, green onions, chives, shallots, dried onion, onion salt, onion powder

Nutrition
Per medium onion, 42 calories, .2g fat, 10g carbohydrate, 0mg cholesterol, 1g protein, 3mg sodium

Onions contain sulphur compounds, and these in turn contain something called pyruvic acid: it is this that causes tears to flow and stomachs to get indigestion.

Equivalents
1 pound = 450g = 4 - 5 medium onions = 3 large onions = 2 to 3 cups chopped
1 medium onion (2 1/2 to 3 oz / 85 g) = 1/2 to 2/3 cup chopped = 1 tablespoon onion powder
1 small onion (1 1/2 oz / 40g) = 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped = 1 teaspoon onion powder = 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 cup chopped onion = 5 oz = 150g
1 cup finely diced onion = 8 oz = 225g

Storage
Onion does not need to be blanched before freezing. Dice the onion, put on a baking sheet and put in freezer. When frozen, break it up and put into freezer bags.

In a root cellar type environment, you can store most onions (not Sweet Onions) up to 3 months. Store out of bright light, as light can cause them to become bitter. Don't store near potatoes, as the gas that potatoes give off can shorten the onions' storage life.

In fridge, store onions in a plastic bag for 5 days. To store cooked onions, freeze or put in a sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.

Don't store chopped onion, either fresh or cooked, in a metal container or bowl as it can discolour them.

History
Onions have been grown since at least 3000 BC in China. They are probably native to central Asia. The children of Israel mentioned them as one of the things they missed about Egypt.

Onions were very much a part of Roman diet, though later on the upper classes saw them as peasant food. Romans introduced them throughout Europe. Apicius includes them in his recipes, though sparingly -- Leeks were seen as more acceptable to eat. Diocletian's price controls (301 AD), which by the way failed, included onions.

Onions were seen as "peasant" food during the Middle Ages.

Onions were introduced to the New World by the Spanish and British colonists (though the natives already knew strains of distantly related wild onions).

Literature & Lore
And, most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and I do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more words: away! go, away! -- Bottom. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act IV, Scene 2. Shakespeare.

"And if the boy have not a woman's gift
To rain a shower of commanded tears
An onion will do well for such a shift
Which in a napkin being close convey'd
Shall in despite enforce a watery eye."
-- Shakespeare. The Taming of the Shrew, Prologue.

Language Notes
The English word "onion" was "unyun" in Middle English, influenced both by the French "oignon" and the Latin "unio".

Also called:

Other entries for:

Onions
Apaz Onions, Boiling Onions, Calçot Spring Onions, Cipollini Onions, Green Onions, Grelot Onions, Intermediate-Day Onions, Leeks, Long-Day Onions, Pearl Onions, Ramps, Red Onions, Red Spring Onions, Scallions, Shallot, Short-Day Onions, Sweet Onions, Yellow Globe Danvers Onions

Other entries for:

Root Vegetables
Añú, Beet, Carrots, Cassava, Celery Root, Crosne, Garlic, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Jicama, Konjac Root, Malanga, Oca, Parsnips, Potatoes, Prairie Turnip, Radishes, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Sea Holly, Swede, Sweet Potatoes, Taro, Turnips, Water Chestnuts, Yacon, Yamagoboo, Yams

Other entries for:

Vegetables
Agave, Artichokes, Asparagus, Brassica Family, Canned Vegetables, Cardoons, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Frozen Vegetables, Gourds, Horseradish Tree, Leafy Vegetables, Lotus, Mixed Vegetables, Mushrooms, Pak Wan, Peas, Peppers, Sago Palm, Seaweed, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Tomatoes, Viscous Vegetables

Related Recipes

Bacon & Onion Tart, Brie and Red Onion Tarts, Cheese & Onion Bread, Corn & Onion Quiche, Corn & Red Onion Salsa, Easy Baked Rosemary Onions, French Onion Tart, Pâté Râpé, Pickled Onion Relish, Pizza Bianca with Onion and Gorgonzola Cheese, Red Onion Chutney, Red Relish, Sausage & Glazed Onion Rolls, Sausages with Onion & Guinness Gravy, Spinach and Gruyère Panade, Squash & Red Onion Risotto, Texas Caviar, Tomato, Red Onion and Roasted Red Pepper Relish, Walnut and Carrot Salad