Sweet onions are VERY hot lately. What's up with that?

[Kalmia]

Lately, I almost tossed two 'sweet' onions. Never tasted anything so 'spicy' in a raw onion.

I will try to use in cooking and hope for the best. Maybe my mkt mis-labelled as Vidalias?

[sf]

I don't buy "sweet" onions, but I've noticed the just plain regular
brown skinned onions (round or flat types) that don't usually bother
me have made my eyes water a couple of times in the past year.


--

Good Food.
Good Friends.
Good Memories.

[Julie Bove]

"Kalmia" <tween...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:94cb263f-7ce3-42dc...@googlegroups.com...

I've had that happen with red onions. The sweets I have bought recently
were fine.

[Brooklyn1]

"Kalmia" wrote:
>
> Lately, I almost tossed two 'sweet' onions. Never tasted anything so
> 'spicy' in a raw onion.
>
> I will try to use in cooking and hope for the best. Maybe my mkt
> mis-labelled as Vidalias?

That is highly unlikely, Vidalias have that classic flatened oblate
configuration... even if mislabled people who regularly buy vidalias
would immediately recognize if it were the correct or incorrect onion.
Where I shop Vidalias are in a sealed mesh sack or when sold loose
each has a Vidalia sticker attached.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/dining/vidalia-onions-a-crop-with-an-image-to-uphold.html
http://img.foodnetwork.com/FOOD/2012/05/03/HE_Vidalia-Onions_s4x3_lead.jpg

[jmcquown]

I don't remember where Kalmia lives. I do know Vidalias are definitely
sweet when you're talking about onions. I enjoy living in an area where
I can easily get Vidalias. I dislike strong (or "spicy") onions.

I can't speak for Kalmia's market but I've read about some markets
calling just about any yellow onion a Vidalia. They aren't. Believe it
or not, there is a law against Vidalia onion fraud:

http://vidaliaarea.com/vidalia-onions-sweet-museum/

"It’s a felony to label other sweet onions grown outside the area as
Vidalias. Fines begin at hefty $10,000 for slapping a Vidalia label on,
say, a Peruvian or Texas onion."

Jill

[sf]

On Sat, 12 Apr 2014 22:19:00 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
wrote:

I don't buy hype based on location ("Hatch" chilies is another one).
Granex (flattened top and bottom) onions were the only yellow onion
in the onion bins a couple of months ago, so I bought them when I
needed onion.

[jmcquown]

I don't know about Hatch chilies but I do know actual Vidalia sweet
onions are grown in Georgia. They aren't sharp or spicy. I'm not
really a fan of onions but I use them when I cook. I do know how to
spot a Vidalia and use them in most of my cooking that requires onions.
When they aren't available I do use some other mild yellow onions, but
they definitely aren't Vidalias.

Jill

[Winters_Lackey]

jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote in
news:bquagp...@mid.individual.net:

>
> I can't speak for Kalmia's market but I've read about some markets
> calling just about any yellow onion a Vidalia. They aren't. Believe
> it or not, there is a law against Vidalia onion fraud:
>
> http://vidaliaarea.com/vidalia-onions-sweet-museum/
>
> "It’s a felony to label other sweet onions grown outside the area as
> Vidalias. Fines begin at hefty $10,000 for slapping a Vidalia label
> on, say, a Peruvian or Texas onion."
>

That is BULLSHIT, Jill. Complete, total, bullshit. When something seems
absurd, it's wise not to repeat it without checking on its veracity.
>
> Jill
>



--
--Bryan
"The 1960's called. They want their recipe back."
--Steve Wertz in rec.food.cooking 4-20-2009

[Winters_Lackey]

sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote in
news:1cvjk9h152b4bnn65...@4ax.com:

> I don't buy hype based on location ("Hatch" chilies is another one).
> Granex (flattened top and bottom) onions were the only yellow onion
> in the onion bins a couple of months ago, so I bought them when I
> needed onion.
>

Earlier, you said that you didn't buy sweet onions. Granex onions ARE
sweet onions.

[sf]

On Sun, 13 Apr 2014 21:05:36 +0000 (UTC), "Winters_Lackey"
<regu...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote in
> news:1cvjk9h152b4bnn65...@4ax.com:
>
>
> > I don't buy hype based on location ("Hatch" chilies is another one).
> > Granex (flattened top and bottom) onions were the only yellow onion
> > in the onion bins a couple of months ago, so I bought them when I
> > needed onion.
> >
> Earlier, you said that you didn't buy sweet onions. Granex onions ARE
> sweet onions.

If that's the case, then all onions are sweet. I buy brown skinned
onions. You want to call them sweet, you go right ahead. I don't.

[Kalmia]

These had the Vidalia shape all right, but sure didn't taste like 'em. Maybe the Chinese have found a way to counterfeit the Vids, yet can't duplicate that taste yet?
All I know is....could barely eat the smoked-salmon-cream-cheese-on-rye 'sangwidge'. Had to remove the onion slices after one bite.

[Brooklyn1]

On Sun, 13 Apr 2014 17:55:17 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
<tween...@mypacks.net> wrote:

>On Saturday, April 12, 2014 1:15:06 PM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> "Kalmia" wrote:
>>
>> >
>>
>> > Lately, I almost tossed two 'sweet' onions. Never tasted anything so
>>
>> > 'spicy' in a raw onion.
>>
>> >
>>
>> > I will try to use in cooking and hope for the best. Maybe my mkt
>>
>> > mis-labelled as Vidalias?
>>
>>
>>
>> That is highly unlikely, Vidalias have that classic flatened oblate
>>
>> configuration... even if mislabled people who regularly buy vidalias
>>
>> would immediately recognize if it were the correct or incorrect onion.
>>
>> Where I shop Vidalias are in a sealed mesh sack or when sold loose
>>
>> each has a Vidalia sticker attached.
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/dining/vidalia-onions-a-crop-with-an-image-to-uphold.html
>>
>> http://img.foodnetwork.com/FOOD/2012/05/03/HE_Vidalia-Onions_s4x3_lead.jpg
>
>These had the Vidalia shape all right, but sure didn't taste like 'em.

Onions are a crop like any other, there can easily be differences
depending on many factors, even when grown in the same field. I've
bought Texas sweets that were much hotter than usual. Some years my
jalopenos just aren't hot at all, other years you'd think they were
scotch bonnets. Some years there's more or less rain, more or less
sun, higher or lower temperatures, there's really no way to know how a
particular crop will turn out. When onions are too hot to eat raw
then cook them, the heat will disapate.

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:beamk91t7165b8kvs...@4ax.com...

I don't know what Granex is. But to me, the smaller yellow ones are
multi-purpose. It's the much bigger, lighter skinned yellow that are sweet.
They will say Vidalia, Walla Walla, Spanish Sweet and probably some other
names too.

[Winters_Lackey]

sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote in news:beamk91t7165b8kvsiq0o4rjapm6c7sahb@
4ax.com:

Granex are the usual cultivar for Vidalias. Granex are sweet onions. ALDI
sells Utah onions. Some are labeled "Sweet Onions," and others, "Yellow
Onions." They look very similar, and both have light to medium brown
skins. Sweet onions are great raw, and the more pungent ones better for
cooking, especially for cooking for longer periods of time. I'm surprised
that you don't know all of this, but maybe you don't use raw onion.

I use sweet onions raw on burgers, in pico de gallo, and in green salads.
Some of the attributes of foods *are* influenced by "location." Vidalias
are Granex onions that are grown in a soil that is low in sulfur (a region
of Georgia).

The sulfurous compounds in onions make them unpalatable to many animals,
and inhibit the growth of microorganisms, protecting the bulbs. Humans are
the animal that cooks, and high sulfur bulbs are fine when cooked, even
desirable. I wouldn't use sweet onions to make onion soup.

[Winters_Lackey]

"Julie Bove" <juli...@frontier.com> wrote in
news:lifgmk$s59$1...@dont-email.me:

It's not a function of size, though the sweet onions are usually larger
because they are sold as hamburger onions. I often buy sweet onions at
ALDI that are as small as typical yellow onions, but are much cheaper than
those that consumers often prefer, and are willing to pay more for.

Breed, soil, and weather affect onions.

[Julie Bove]

"Brooklyn1" <grave...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:jremk9llndmjodomf...@4ax.com...

Or you can soak them in cold water.

[KenK]

sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote in news:1cvjk9h152b4bnn65upq3tqm5gmj7deh5k@
4ax.com:

> I don't buy hype based on location ("Hatch" chilies is another one).
> Granex (flattened top and bottom) onions were the only yellow onion
> in the onion bins a couple of months ago, so I bought them when I
> needed onion.
>

A typical bachelor, I just buy whatever yellow onions are in the onion bin
that day. No regrets so far. But I'm quite unfussy.


--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

[sf]

On 14 Apr 2014 16:54:05 GMT, KenK <inv...@invalid.com> wrote:

> sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote in news:1cvjk9h152b4bnn65upq3tqm5gmj7deh5k@
> 4ax.com:
>
> > I don't buy hype based on location ("Hatch" chilies is another one).
> > Granex (flattened top and bottom) onions were the only yellow onion
> > in the onion bins a couple of months ago, so I bought them when I
> > needed onion.
> >
>
> A typical bachelor, I just buy whatever yellow onions are in the onion bin
> that day. No regrets so far. But I'm quite unfussy.

Exactly. An onion is an onion. I buy red if that's the color I'm
going for... it's always raw unless that's the only onion I'm stuck
with when I need one, because they look awful when they're cooked.

[Janet Wilder]

Lucky me! I'm just getting into 50 pounds of Texas 1015 sweet onions.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

[Janet Wilder]

I use the Texas sweet 1015 onions for everything. They were awesome in
the chicken soup I made yesterday. Matzoh balls mix is in the fridge
waiting to be cooked into matzoh balls later today.

Bringing soup and matzoh balls to the Seder with friends tonight.

[sf]

On Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:11:36 -0500, Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com>
wrote:

> Matzoh balls mix is in the fridge
> waiting to be cooked into matzoh balls later today.

Couple of questions... do you make the huge matzo balls or smaller
ones and do you use seltzer water? I hear it's supposed to lighten
the mix, but maybe it's an old wives kitchen tale.

[dsi1]

On Friday, April 11, 2014 1:40:27 PM UTC-10, Kalmia wrote:
> Lately, I almost tossed two 'sweet' onions. Never tasted anything so 'spicy' in a raw onion.
>
>
>
> I will try to use in cooking and hope for the best. Maybe my mkt mis-labelled as Vidalias?

This is a good strategy. If you find there's too much sulfur in your onions, cook and caramelize them. Some folks will say that the onions grown in Kula, Maui are the sweetest and most tasty onions in the world. Well, that's what I'm told.

[cshenk]

dsi1 wrote in rec.food.cooking:

There is a simple trick to tell a fairly 'sweet' one from a not so
sweet. All sweet ones are wide and short. If it is 1/2 as tall as it
is wide, it should be sweeter though that ranges in how sweet. If it;s
taller than wide, it should be on the hotter side. If it's roughtly
evenly round, it should be an average onion.



--

[dsi1]

That's interesting and good to know - will keep my peepers open for that. I like to buy regular yellow onions but the sweet Maui onions tend to be cheaper. It's a crying shame to get a sweet onion and cook it but I'm a cheapskate.

>
>
>
>
> --

[cshenk]

No problem! Cost is relative to where you live and yes, I've seen the
sweets cheaper too. Since with much of my type of cooking that works
better, I'm a happy camper when that happens.

Oh and if you are looking for the middle point that is both, an almost
round yellow one with mix and match to both points, carmelizing well
and also pretty 'hot' before cooking. Good one IMHO for a bit of raw
onion in a salad. I like the bite of a little raw onion in a salad.
Milage varies on how much in my family so I mince some at the side and
lets folks add to taste preference.

Carol

[Julie Bove]

"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message

news:s38ok95jo6mnrsa9t...@4ax.com...

I like them mixed with others for soup.

[dsi1]

I like the finely chopped raw onions in salad. Too bad not many people do this. I like onions, it doesn't matter to me which type it is. OTOH, I don't like it when people put a big slice of raw onion in a sandwich. I find that it makes the sandwich bite back at you. :-)

[DreadfulBitch]

On 4/14/2014 2:09 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> Lucky me! I'm just getting into 50 pounds of Texas 1015 sweet onions.
>

Oooohhh!! Onion Sandwiches!!!

I found this recipe many years ago. It's a Julia Child recipe, but I've
altered it a bit.

*Lightly toast a split English muffin
*Top with a slice of onion equal to the size of the muffin
*Spread onion with generous amount of mayonnaise
*Top with grated parmesan cheese
*Put under broiler until cheese starts to brown
*Enjoy!!

That is Julia Child's recipe. I chop the onion and mix with enough mayo
to hold it together then spread it on the muffin.

--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
...George Bernard Shaw

[cshenk]

dsi1 wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> > Oh and if you are looking for the middle point that is both, an
> > almost
> >
> > round yellow one with mix and match to both points, carmelizing well
> >
> > and also pretty 'hot' before cooking. Good one IMHO for a bit of
> > raw
> >
> > onion in a salad. I like the bite of a little raw onion in a salad.
> >
> > Milage varies on how much in my family so I mince some at the side
> > and
> >
> > lets folks add to taste preference.
> >
> >
> >
> > Carol
>
> I like the finely chopped raw onions in salad. Too bad not many
> people do this. I like onions, it doesn't matter to me which type it
> is. OTOH, I don't like it when people put a big slice of raw onion in
> a sandwich. I find that it makes the sandwich bite back at you. :-)

Me too! Great with a home made bread bun, some turkey pastrami a bit a
cheese and mayo and a few bits of raw onion. Not a whole slice. more
like 2 minced rings spread about.


Carol

--

[Janet Wilder]

On 4/14/2014 2:19 PM, sf wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:11:36 -0500, Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Matzoh balls mix is in the fridge
>> waiting to be cooked into matzoh balls later today.
>
> Couple of questions... do you make the huge matzo balls or smaller
> ones and do you use seltzer water? I hear it's supposed to lighten
> the mix, but maybe it's an old wives kitchen tale.
>
>

I make them about the size of baseballs. I do not make mutant deli
matzoh balls.

I have never used seltzer and they are always light, never sinkers. My
mom had a recipe with seltzer and they fell apart. When I introduced her
to my way, I had to make them at every Seder. Everyone liked them
better than the seltzer ones.

[dsi1]

Sounds like a plan, in this case, a little bite back at you is a good thing.

>
>
>
> Carol
>
>
>
> --

[Gary]

Janet Wilder wrote:
>
> Lucky me! I'm just getting into 50 pounds of Texas 1015 sweet onions.

50 pounds. Sometimes I'm lucky if only 5 pounds will last me before
they start going bad and slimy. You must have a cool root cellar to
store them in?

G.

[Gary]

sf wrote:
>
> On Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:11:36 -0500, Janet Wilder <not...@notreal.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Matzoh balls mix is in the fridge
> > waiting to be cooked into matzoh balls later today.
>
> Couple of questions... do you make the huge matzo balls or smaller
> ones and do you use seltzer water? I hear it's supposed to lighten
> the mix, but maybe it's an old wives kitchen tale.

The CO2 released from the seltzer water when cooking will help to
"lighten up the mix." Beer does the same thing but I wouldn't mix that
into matzo balls. Perhaps someone here will verify that since you
don't take anything I say about cooking seriously. :(

G.

[Cheryl]

On 4/12/2014 11:37 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> I don't know about Hatch chilies but I do know actual Vidalia sweet
> onions are grown in Georgia. They aren't sharp or spicy. I'm not
> really a fan of onions but I use them when I cook. I do know how to
> spot a Vidalia and use them in most of my cooking that requires onions.
> When they aren't available I do use some other mild yellow onions, but
> they definitely aren't Vidalias.

Same here. I rarely buy any other kind of onion except for spring/green
and occasionally red when I want spicy.

--
ღ.¸¸.✫*¨`*✶
Cheryl

[Cheryl]

On 4/14/2014 4:56 PM, dsi1 wrote:

> I like the finely chopped raw onions in salad. Too bad not many
> people do this. I like onions, it doesn't matter to me which type it
> is. OTOH, I don't like it when people put a big slice of raw onion in
> a sandwich. I find that it makes the sandwich bite back at you.:-)

I don't like them finely chopped in a sandwich because they tend to fall
out. But fine slice them on a mandolin and they're perfect and stay
where ya put 'em.

[Dave Smith]

I like very thinly sliced onions in things, hamburgers, sandwiches,
grilled cheese with tomato and onion ... very thinly sliced.

[Janet Wilder]

The keep very well in my pantry. They are pretty fresh when we get them.

[George Leppla]

On 4/15/2014 9:57 AM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 4/14/2014 5:51 PM, Gary wrote:
>> >Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>Lucky me! I'm just getting into 50 pounds of Texas 1015 sweet onions.
>> >
>> >50 pounds. Sometimes I'm lucky if only 5 pounds will last me before
>> >they start going bad and slimy. You must have a cool root cellar to
>> >store them in?
>> >
>> >G.
>> >

> The keep very well in my pantry. They are pretty fresh when we get them.

That is kind of an understatement. I think Janet might be able to walk
from her house to where they grow them in the Rio Grande Valley. (after
her knee heals)

George L

[sf]

I've only made them once, you've never made them. I used seltzer
water on the advice of my sister in law and they didn't fall apart,
but I've never eaten them other than in soup a few times at Max's
Opera Cafe - nothing home made other than my own, so I had no way to
know if they were lighter than usual. To me, they were the same as
the restaurant's version only smaller (I prefer small meatballs and
small matzo balls).

[Janet Wilder]

Pretty much. We forgot to give you yours, George.

[George Leppla]

On 4/15/2014 3:36 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> >>The keep very well in my pantry. They are pretty fresh when we get them.
>> >
>> >
>> >That is kind of an understatement. I think Janet might be able to walk
>> >from her house to where they grow them in the Rio Grande Valley. (after
>> >her knee heals)
>> >
>> >George L


> Pretty much. We forgot to give you yours, George.

No biggie. Depending on what happens with the various doctors in the
next two weeks, we might be making a trip down your way in May. I'll
let you know.

George L

[Janet Wilder]

Please do.

[Julie Bove]

"cshenk" <csh...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:VuKdne7jL9gmx9HO...@giganews.com...

Some of the best salads I ever had were in the vicinity of Half Moon Bay,
CA. One was at an Italian/American place. It was so good and had so much
on it, it would have been my dinner but they didn't offer just the salad.
It came free with the dinner. So I would have to order something that
husband liked and bring it home for him later.

The other was at a tiny diner. They used red onions, sliced paper thin. I
have tried but can never get them that thin.

[Julie Bove]

"Gary" <g.ma...@att.net> wrote in message news:534C667C...@att.net...

Yeah, I quit buying the bags unless I know I am making something that will
use a lot. Now I just buy as needed, keeping perhaps one of each kind
extra.

[Brooklyn1]

Here I have to agree, 50 pounds is a lot of onions, I like onions but
I doubt I use 50 pounds of onions a year, that's like a pound a week.
I typically buy onions in a 2 pound bag, sometimes can last me a
month. Sometimes onions are BOGO so I'll buy two bags, but most times
a few onions will rot before I can use 4 pounds. Unless someone uses
an awful lot of onions or gives a lot away, there is no way even a
family of four will use 50 pounds before they start to rot long before
they can be used... onions don't keep well long term, certainly not
for months let alone a year. But some people weigh 350 pounds so they
can eat more then a large family in one sitting. I cook with onions
all the time but it's rare I use more than one medium sized onion in a
dish... two days ago I cooked four qts of pasta sauce, only used two
medium sized onions. Often a week passes I don't use onions. I
simply don't believe many households can use 50 pounds of onions
before many will rot... there's a good reason why the typical retail
market doesn't sell onions in fifty pound bags.