 Plant Parenthood  Sweet on Onions Spud fans, dig this! Kiwi Kraze Navel Oranges |  Getting Sweet on Onionsby Guido the GardenerMose Colman must have been the most surprised Georgia onion farmer int he spring of 1931. He thought he was harvesting a hot-to-the-tongue and long-on-the-storage type of onion. What he actually discovered was soon to be known as the sweet tasting Vidalia onion. What he actually harvested was an onion with a higher water and sugar content that was very mild in flavor. He didn't know why they tasted as mild as they did. He didn't care why. The fact was that they sold rather well, so he, and soon many of his neighbors, kept planting these same seeds and getting the same sweet results. Not so soon after this"discovery," a Farmer's Market was established in the city of Vidalia, where this local onion with the curious flavor made a name for itself. The popularity of Vidalias steadily increased until the mid-1970's when those Georgians figured it was time to crow about their allium cepa. At that time there were only 600 acres planted. Today more than 10,000 acres are under cultivation. Vidalias are exclusively grown in a 20-county area of southeast Georgia. One reason these onions taste so mild is that there exists a lack of sulfur in the soil of that specific region. The general climate in that neck of the woods obviously plays a part in the mix as well. Onions are an odd bunch. The exact same seed planted in different parts of the country will produce an onion with different flavor characteristics. Vidalias belong to a group of fresh, spring dug onions which are best eaten raw. Onions from Maui and the Walla Walla district of Washington state also fall into this category. My taste buds tell me the Vidalia possesses the least pungency. These spring onions share common traits. Their sweetness comes partly from the fact that they not only have more sugar, but also more water. The presence of more water makes them softer, and thus more susceptible to bruising. This bruising eventually turns to mold and spoiled onions. The opposite is true of regular, hot-tasting onions, which are bred to be stored over a period of months. These onions are more dense due to less water, but they do NOT bruise easily. As a result it takes a longer time for these to go bad. In fact, some of the common onions with the word "sweet" in their name really started out that way. But over the years they have been bred to store longer, which by nature has robbed them of their "sweetness." If you want a raw onion for any purpose, use a Vidalia. Period. The flavor is unsurpassed. They can also be cooked, although any onion will lose its kick once the flames tickle it some. I have rolled them whole and unpeeled on the BBQ with very tasty results. They will be "fresh dug" through the month of June and after that they will come either out of regular cold storage or even controlled atmosphere, although on a limited basis. But the best picking will be in the next month or so. They are available loose, but nore often they come in two- or three-pound mesh bags and even 10-pount boxes can be had from club-type stores. The best way to store them is to drop them, one by one, with a knot separating each one, into a clean pair of pantyhose. Hang the whole thing up, and when you need one, cut one off. Now if you are a single guy and a tad timid about buying pantyhose for this specific purpose, wrap them individually in newspaper and store them cool and dry. Home free. All Rights Reserved |
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