National Onion Day
Yes, This is a Real Holiday.
As we all know, National Onion Day is upon us. As we chop, shed tears and celebrate together our favorite pungent vegetable, let’s take a look at how you can properly celebrate this highly recognized holiday.
Some Onion Facts
In order to understand why the onion stands alone as a top tier food, it’s important to discuss our bulbous friend in detail.
Origins
The Onion is believed to originate in Central Asia, although Iran and Pakistan both claim to be the founding nation. Regardless, it is one of the oldest cultivated crops, having been grown and consumed by humans for over 5,000 years.
......… Science!
When onions are opened up, they release a compound called propanethial S-oxide. Unfortunately for us, it contains an egregious amount of sulfur, an unnecessary addition by the onion gods. This leads to the eye irritation that many of us experience when cutting onions. There are, however, fortunate souls who have never experienced this terrible sensation, due to luck-of-the-draw genetics.
Why are there Different Colors?
Just like onion irritation, the color of an onion is determined by the vegetables genetic makeup. Red onions contain a different set of pigment-related genes than yellow onions. More specifically, red onions contain a chemical called anthocyanins, giving them their reddish purple hue.
The differences in taste between red and yellow onions can also be traced to genetic makeup, giving red onions a slightly more pungent, sharp flavor compared to the sweeter yellow onions. Because of this, red onions are generally preferred in their raw form more often, while yellow onions are better suited for cooking.
For context, here’s a compiled list of dishes and their recommended onion type:
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Salads: red
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Sauces: yellow
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Sloppy Joes: yellow
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Salsa: red
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Why do so many foods start with “s”: uncertain
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Soups: yellow
How to Dice an Onion
Many people enjoy the onion, but do many know how to dice up our favorite versatile, oblong friend? According to The Linz Shop, 46% of Americans believe they’re proficient in the kitchen, equating to a likely lower percentage of onion aficionados.
Here’s a quick guide to dicing an onion, Schmidt Brothers Style of course.
Properly Celebrate
In order to make the most of National Onion Day, we suggest eating a whole raw onion for fun. In actuality, the onion is incredible versatile and can be used in an endless variety of ways. Whether you want your onions to be raw, crisp, or somewhere in between, diced or sliced, and standalone or in a meal, onions are an unmatched and overlooked force in the culinary world. We hope you have an incredible National Onion Day!
Want friends in the onion-loving communities around the web? Check out the following groups:
Onion Lovers Community (Reddit)
The Onion Lovers Union (Facebook)
…and more!
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