Oh, the mighty onion! This humble allium adds essential flavor, character, and substance to so much of our food.
Onions have been part of our diets for thousands of years, appearing in ancient Egyptian drawings, early Roman cookbooks, and medieval medicinal texts. They were both harvested from the wild and cultivated for their many culinary uses—as well as rent payments and wedding gifts! Ancient mariners ate raw onions to ward off scurvy, and old wives’ tales tell us that onions cure the common cold and help grow hair. Who knew?
