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While once it seemed as though the only onion options were the generic sounding yellow, white and red, each variety of onion in the market is now labeled clearly - and there are a lot of them, in addition to those three standards. But what is the difference between them? The primary difference is sweetness, with some onions, known as sweet onions, lacking the sulfuric bite that most associate with an onion.
Sweet onions usually are available in summer and have a higher water content than so-called "storage onions", which contributes to their mild flavor. It also means that they have a somewhat shorter shelf life and are more delicate, prone to bruising, than their less-sweet counterparts. They can be used interchangeably with regular onions in cooking, since they will handle almost identically, but they will impart slightly different flavors to the finished dish. Many people prefer sweet onions in dishes that call for raw onions, such as salads, or for use on burgers and hot dogs.
There are many types of sweet onions, grown all over the country, and each has a slightly different flavor profile. Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of debate over which sweet onions are the best tasting, and each region tends to favor their own. Vidalia is the most widely available sweet onion, originating in Georgia. California grows a variety known as the Sweet Imperial. Other types include Walla Walla, Texas Sweet, Carzalia Sweet, Oso Sweet, Arizona, Granex, and Maui (my personal favorite). All have a crisp texture and light flavor. Spanish onions are halfway between sweet and not sweet, so they make a good substitute when sweet are not available.
When choosing sweet onions, opt for ones that are heavy for their size and to not look bruised or wrinkly, which is an indication of age. Sweet onions can be stored for 4-6 weeks in a cool dry place, which is not quite as long as "storage" onions can be kept. Once sliced, the onion should be wrapped, refrigerated and used within a few days.
As already noted, sweet onions make a great addition to all kinds of salads, but here are a few more recipes to get your cooking:
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7-27-2006 @9:36AM Jim said... "Vidalia is the most widely available sweet onion, originating in Georgia, but now grown all over the country..."
Ummmm, no. Vidalia onions can only be grown in Toombs County, Georgia. From Wikipedia:
"In 1986, the Vidalia Onion Trademark Act granted a state trademark and protection on the onions of the Vidalia and Toombs County, Georgia area. The 1989 Federal Marketing Order #955 of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service gave the growers and handlers the legal rights to establish the Vidalia Onion Committee, and it granted U.S. federal protection of the onion's name."
Of course, anyone can *grow* Vidalia onions anywhere they'd like. But you legally can't call them that, unless they were grown in the vicinity of Vidalia, Georgia.
- Jim (GA native, now in NC)
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7-27-2006 @10:39AM Cary said... Jim: I agree...I have been told that Vidalias are Granex if grown outside GA. Anyone know if this correct?
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7-27-2006 @10:57AM AL said... Another great sweet onion that is available a few months a year is the Mayan Sweet.
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7-27-2006 @12:16PM Nicole Weston said... I stand corrected. The sweet onion grown in California is a different variety, but the Vidalia is still the most widely available.
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7-27-2006 @2:07PM Beth said... Cary and Jim, I agree. Alton Brown was all over this on his Onion episode of "Good Eats."
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10-10-2006 @7:48PM Charles Letourneau said... Does anyone know how I could replace sweet onions in a recipe? I'm having trouble finding some, and I don't want my recipe altered too much. Is there a way to use "regular" onions and maybe ...add sugar ? I don't know
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