Peter Leibert's Page

THAT SWEET WORLD OF ONIONS

You just have to have that great flavor of onions, but could we do something to hold all those tears (make them more mild), and maybe can we make the onion just a little more on the sweet side? Well, onions that do all that are out there, and have been out there for many years. Such an onion might seem to be a fairly new item, but would you believe that some Frenchman who was enamored with its sweet taste and juicy flesh imported this unique onion into America almost 100 years ago.

Sweet onions, sometimes called “short day” onions, originally came to the “states” as seeds from the Mediterranean island of Corsica. This Frenchman that brought them here settled in the Walla Walla valley. Walla Walla is way out there in the southeastern part of the state of Washington and is now a famous farming area. Today the valley actually grows more wheat than any other crop, but it is certainly best known for its sweet onions - the Walla Walla.

There are some very significant differences between sweet onions and regular onions. The key difference is that regular onions have high levels of sulfur compounds. Pyruvic acid, which is found with sulfur, is considered to be the cause of the tears, harshness, and indigestion. Sweet onions have been measured to have about half of the Pyruvic acid level as compared to the levels measured in “storage” onions.

So where are sweet onions grown? Sweet onions are always grown in soil with low amounts of sulfur. Here in the United States, most sweet onions are raised in volcanic soils, or in farm lands with a rich, loamy, desert soil. Almost every region, like the Walla Walla valley, has a special name for their crop. Onions from the town of Vidalia, Georgia are named after where they are being grown. SuperSweets are from Texas, Sweet Imperials are from Southern California, the Mauis are from the Hawaiian island of Maui, and the AmeriSweet onions come from Michigan.

They all have something in common - a burst of sweetness when bitten into, incredibly mild and with very little sharpness. These onions have a subtle, fruity flavor.

Recipe for ‘Sweet & Sour’ Sweet Onions and Cucumbers

3 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers

1-1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a medium bowl toss together cucumbers, onions and carrot; set aside. In a liquid measuring cup combine vinegar, sugar, dill, 2 tablespoons water, salt and black pepper. Pour over cucumber mixture, toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

YIELD: 6 portions, 6 cups