Onions

Choose onions that feel heavy for their size and are not sprouting. Avoid any mushy or brown spots — these can quickly cause the entire onion to rot. Yellow onions are great all-purpose onions. White onions are the most pungent but also tend to be more tender. Red onions tend to be sweeter and are often quite large. Sweet onions are valued for being less pungent with a lower sulfur content.

Stored in a cool, dry place, onions keep for many, many months. Keeping them in the dark is also good; exposure to light hastens sprouting. Fresh market onions should be stored in the crisper drawer and used within a week.

Onions, both fresh and caramelized, freeze beautifully. They can also be made into jam or quick pickles.

Onions are mostly water, but are a fairly good source of fiber and Vitamin C, and also offer Vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, manganese and calcium. Onions also contain antioxidants, and their sulfur compounds have been studied for their potential to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Perhaps the most famous onion in the U.S. is the Vidalia onion. Cultivation began in the 1930s in Vidalia, Georgia, and the name — now trademarked — can be applied only to onions grown in the state, thanks to the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986.

The cause of onions' distinctive scent, flavor and eye-irritating aura is sulfur. Special compounds become reactive once cell walls are ruptured, not only making your eyes water but also making for an effective pest-repellent on the farm or in the garden.

Onions are a fairly water-intensive commercial crop. These vegetables are solidly within the 'Clean 15' from the Environmental Working Group's 2023 Shopper's Guide, in part because the outer layers are not typically eaten. 'Dry onions' are available year-round, as they can be stored for long periods of time after being dried (or 'cured') to prevent rotting.