Who is Onion?
Ranked #16,568 in Food & Cooking, #291,918 overall | Donates to Acumen Fund
The Rodney Dangerfield of Vegetables: "I Get No Respect!"
Many decades ago my parents, Shallot and Bulb, took us little sprouts to the Catskills. What a resort! And those Borst Belt comedians were so wise! I was barely big enough to sit in a Gibson, but I remember well, when one told the story of his mother's old world pound cake. "Someone asked my mother for her wonderful pound cake recipe. She said, 'First fry an onion'. 'You put onions in your pound cake?' ' No, that's to make the house smell good!' " Those Old World people knew how to love and appreciate an onion.
But these 'Boomers!": and 'Xer's'! Hump! They want Onion to make their cholesterol healthy, but then whine about 'My hands, my breath smells' 'Onions make me cry' Waa, Waa Waa!
My wife Vadalia is a sweetie, but me? I admit it, I am bitter!
Yours truly,
Scallion Onion
A Documentary On Onion Value and Your Health
“I found there was only one way to smell sweet, hang out with garlic. But seriously folks...”
Rodney Dangerfield Understood the Life of Onion
Three reasons to love Onion
1. We are good for your cholesterol levels. Always use onion when you eat eggs.2. We taste good. French Onion Soup proves Onion stands alone, but we also spice up just about anything else. There is even an oatmeal recipe with onion.
3. We are easy to grow and store. In fact, some people grow onions as a hobby. And you know you can put them just about anywhere!
An Early Portrait of Our Family Around the Turn of the Century
Quick, what do you think of Onion??
Vegetables Are People Too!
Oh, wait, we aren't people, but we do have feelings! Did you know that celery has been recorded crying when pulled from the ground, its home?
Do You Think That We Onions Deserve More Respect?
Of Course, You Do. You Have Saved Both Lives and Casseroles from Dullness!
skiesgreen says:
Yes, you are the most used vegetable that I know. Just about every main meal recipe starts with you
TWOnline2 says:
Onions give flavor and taste to many recipes. Whether you like them or not, some form of onions are in processed foods across America. They have many uses from art to medicine. You've gotta love em...even if you have to force it.
alteredkat says:
I sacrifice many an onion for cooking...almost daily!...
tssfacts says:
Onion are great anytime. My family have been know to make onion sandwiches. I like mine cooked a bit.
poddys says:
What would a stew or casserole be with you Onion.
You Make People Cry, You Bully, and Its Time You Do Something About that Smell!
ChineseKitesforKids says:
I don't like onions at all.
hlkljgk says:
i love onions, but someone has to speak out against the tears...
Artists Have Appreciated Us!
Onion Soup: What We All Strive For
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
As you know, an onion is born to sacrifice. We accept this. While we are taken in our prime, before the time for a natural demise, there is really nothing sadder than an Onion shriveling on the vine. We accept our fate and pray that when we go, we go in glory. French Onion Soup, is the way we really hope to go. Here is a great recipe, so go out and buy my brethren and Make Soup!
Oh, and French Onion soup is baked. If I have taught you nothing else from this lens, please know that French Onion Soup must be baked before serving. Please don't insult those who have sacrificed for you and try to serve it without the broiler!
Cookography: The Best French Onion Soup Ever...
The Best French Onion Soup
From: Cook's Illustrated
For the best flavor, make the soup a day or 2 in advance. Alternatively, the onions can be prepared through step 1, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe.
Ingredients:
Ingredients
- * 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- cut into 3 pieces
- * 6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds)
- halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Make sure you get Yellow)
- * Table salt
- * 2 cups water
- plus extra for deglazing
- * 1/2 cup dry sherry
- * 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (They recommend Swanson Certified Organic Free Range Chicken Broth )
- 2 cups beef broth (They recommend Pacific Beef Broth)
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- tied with kitchen twine
- 1 bay leaf
- * Ground black pepper
- 1 small baguette
- cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)
Instructions
Directions:
For the soup:
1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Generously spray the inside of a heavy-bottomed large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with a nonstick cooking spray. Place the butter in the pot and add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, for 1 hour (the onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove the pot from the oven and stir the onions, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Return the pot to the oven with the lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring the onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
3. Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until the liquid evaporates and the onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if the onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pot bottom is coated with a dark crust, roughly 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions.)
4. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping the pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in the sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until the sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the broths, 2 cups of water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot.
6. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.
For the croutons:
1. While the soup simmers, arrange the baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
To serve:
1. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Onion and Symbolism
Sacred and Symbolic Onion
"The onion became more than just food after arriving in Egypt. The ancient Egyptians worshiped the onion, believing that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternity. Of all the vegetables that had their images created from precious metals by Egyptian artists, only the onion was made out of gold.(1) What a prestigious honor for a vegetable with such a humble beginning!"
See? Those Ancient Egyptians knew our family and what we are worth! But not today. No they use us and then abuse us.
Take that guy Freud. He made this theory of the human personality. He actually used my family name in part of it. He compares the human psyche to the onion. He says that analysis is like pealing an onion! But does he then stop to marvel at the Onion? No!
Going to the Grocery Today?
Be sure to stop by the produce and visit my family. Look at their beauty and think of what they do for your health and your taste buds! Don't forget to thank them. Oh, and take some home!
Do You Have Good Cholesterol? Thank An Onion Family Member
My Great Aunt Pearl, a Model, Loved To Deck Out in Formal Wear. Wasn't She Beautiful?!?
Rodney Dangerfield Knew the Soul of the Onion
My Family Makes the Ulitmate Sacrifice.
For millenia, my vegetables have been making this sacrifice proudly and without complaint, while humans, the benefactors have whined and complained about tears and smells.
These videos tell a small part of the selflessness of family Onion.
I Can't Make Up My Mind
When I first heard about the publication, The Onion I was pleased. Finally, the recognition we deserve. But now I am not sure.....
Onions Don't Have Fingers: I Dedicate This To Margo Arrowsmith
Now, I couldn't pay her much for this, so I said we would feature some of her other food lenses here. Be sure and read them also, as well as her other stuff. I found much of it fascinating. Her lenses also show her respect for Onion. She even found a way to put Onion in oatmeal! Talk about a healthy breakfast!!!
Artists Know Onion Has Soul
Shout Out For Onion!
Share your stories, sightings, thoughts, rants, raves... And give Margo some stars for the great job she did for us! God knows we couldn't pay her much.
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skiesgreen
Dec 6, 2011 @ 3:32 pm | delete
- Love to grow onions of all types in my garden. Never cook a meal without them. Another great lens. Hooray for this great species of vegetables.
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ChineseKitesforKids
May 22, 2011 @ 10:14 am | delete
- This was very entertaining. You are a good writer.
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hlkljgk Apr 13, 2011 @ 8:18 am | delete
- i wear ski goggles to cut onions without the tears. you can use yellow onion peels to color red easter eggs. superb lens.
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7Suze7
Feb 8, 2011 @ 6:18 am | delete
- This cracks me up!
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alteredkat
Dec 16, 2010 @ 9:01 am | delete
- yum yum yum...fry mine up with some mushrooms and serve over a steak! ...oh, craving! ...great foodie lens...thanks for sharing...and thank you for visiting my Krinkles Ornaments lens...I appreciate your comments as always! Kat
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Ladymermaid
Dec 11, 2010 @ 1:26 pm | delete
- One of my favorite foods and you have created a very fitting tribute to this fine vegetable :)
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tssfacts
Dec 11, 2010 @ 7:58 am | delete
- What a delightful article. I remember the first onion sandwich I tasted. It was ok but I prefer to eat the little green onions raw and have the other onions cooked a bit.
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poddys
Dec 9, 2010 @ 6:28 am | delete
- What a great fun lens, I am so pleased I discovered this. Lensrolled to my Humor lenses.
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JennySui
Dec 6, 2010 @ 2:30 am | delete
- Very well researched lens. i love onions.
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Tipi
Dec 4, 2010 @ 11:01 am | delete
- I'm leaving a large tip for that gourmet Onion Soup recipe. I promise I will only use yellow onions for it and will cut them to the pole. My Mom used to make onion and mustard sandwiches for herself, but I never quite felt brave enough to try them with the strong onion. Mr. Vadalia is my best friend when he is available for sure. Wonderfully and delishiously done!
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Support Onion!
Please Treat My Cousins Well, Only Cook Them In GREAT Onion Soup.
From Cooking Light: Enjoy and Be Healthy
- Serves: 8
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours simmer
Once you try this classic French Onion Soup recipes, you'll never try another. It culminates in a rich-tasting soup with melt-in-your-mouth onions.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- # 4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
- 4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
- # 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or Splenda)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups less-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
- cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat
- reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
Instructions
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
Preheat broiler.
Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
290 (30% from fat)
Fat:
9.6g (sat 4.8g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:
16.8g
Carbohydrate:
33.4g
Fiber:
3.1g
Cholesterol:
20mg
Iron:
1.6mg
Sodium:
359mg
Calcium:
317mg
Zazzle Onions
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Its Your Health Central
About Margo Arrowsmith
Table of Contents
- A Documentary On Onion Value and Your Health
- Rodney Dangerfield Understood the Life of Onion
- Three reasons to love Onion
- An Early Portrait of Our Family Around the Turn of the Century
- Quick, what do you think of Onion??
- Vegetables Are People Too!
- Artists Have Appreciated Us!
- Onion Soup: What We All Strive For
- Onion and Symbolism
- Going to the Grocery Today?
- Do You Have Good Cholesterol? Thank An Onion Family Member
- My Great Aunt Pearl, a Model, Loved To Deck Out in Formal Wear. Wasn't She Beautiful?!?
- Rodney Dangerfield Knew the Soul of the Onion
- My Family Makes the Ulitmate Sacrifice.
- I Can't Make Up My Mind
- Onions Don't Have Fingers: I Dedicate This To Margo Arrowsmith
- Artists Know Onion Has Soul
- Shout Out For Onion!
- Support Onion!
- Please Treat My Cousins Well, Only Cook Them In GREAT Onion Soup.
- Zazzle Onions
- People Write About Us, But Do They Respect Us?
- Some of My Cousins
- This Is How My Family Grows
- Changing the Guard Blog
- Get Your Free Report: "How to Hire an Affordable Home Health Team"
- Its Your Health Central
- About Margo Arrowsmith
by Margo_Arrowsmith
Margo Arrowsmith received the "Lens of the Day" Twice
Arrowsmith Printing 9/22/08
Macular Degeneration: the Blindness You Can Prevent 4/5/11
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