Sherri's Helpful Hints

Sweet Onion Varieties

Vidalia Onions

This is perhaps the most well-known of the sweet onion varieties. It was first grown in Toombs County, Georgia, but it came to Georgia from Texas. It is by law grown only in thirteen counties and portions of seven others in southeast Georgia. The soil and climatic conditions in these defined areas combine to produce the sweeter granex hybrid trademarked as Vidalia onions. The city of Vidalia was the site of a Farmer's Market since it was located at the junction of several heavily-traveled highways. The sweet granex onion came to be called after this hub city. Vidalias are harvested from late April through mid-June, and thanks to controlled-atmosphere storage, they are available through December. The Vidalia onion is a light golden-brown bulb with a white interior, rounded at the bottom and somewhat flat on the top stem end.

Texas 1015

The grandfather of this variety was the grano, originally imported from Valencia, Spain in 1925. The 1015Y variety was developed at Texas A&M University as a strain which was more resistant to pink root disease than the Grano varieties. Prime time for Texas 1015s is April through June. It derives its name from its ideal planting date, October 15. Horticulturist Leonard Pike is responsible for isolating the tear-causing chemical pyruvate and decreasing its presence to result in the sweet 1015. This variety can grow to softball-size, with optimum size being 3-4 inches in diameter. Its single-center design makes it a perfect candidate for fried onion rings. From the university home of the 1015, this small recipe collection includes a fool-proof recipe for onion rings.

Walla Walla

Named for the Washington city, these sweet onions originated on the Island of Corsica off the west coast of Italy. The seeds were brought to Walla Walla (Native American for "many waters") in the late 1800s. Law also controls the marketing of Walla Walla Sweet onions, which must be grown in a specified area of the Walla Walla valley to claim the name. This variety is available from June through August.

Other Sweet Onions

Imperial Sweets, derivatives of of the grano and granex varieties, are grown in the Imperial valley of California, and are available from late April through early June.

Oso Sweet onions hail from South America and are said to contain fifty percent more sugar than Vidalias. Osos are avaliable from January through March.

Maui Sweets come to us from the Hawaiian island of the same name and are available from April to July.

Other varieties may also be marketed as Bermuda sweet onions.

Some Italian Red varieties are also mild and sweet enough to join this category, but simply choosing by the characteristic deep red-maroon color will not always guarantee a sweet onion. Red Italian onions are usually used raw and are an excellent choice to give a color boost to salads and sandwiches.


Sweet Onion Health Benefits

Onions contain more than one hundred sulfur-containing compounds. These sulfur compounds are what cause the eyes to tear up when cutting onions. One particular sulfur compound has been found to prevent the biochemical chain of events that lead to asthma and respiratory ailments.

Onions are rich in flavonoids which have been shown to deactivate several potent carcinogens and tumor promoters as well as interfere with the growth of estrogen-sensitive cells involved in breast cancer.

Last but not least, an onion a day can raise HDL's (good cholesterol), resulting in lower blood pressure and prevention of blood clots.

One-half cup of raw onion has 30 calories; one-half cup of boiled has 45. Onions also contain generous amounts of Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, and folic acid.


Seasonal Onions

Onions can be divided into two categories: spring/summer fresh onions and fall/winter storage onions.

Spring/summer Fresh Onions

Spring/summer fresh onions are available in yellow, red and white throughout their season, March through August. Fresh onions can be identified by their thin, light-colored skin. Because they have a higher water content, they are typically sweeter and milder than storage onions. This higher water content also makes them more susceptible to bruising.

With its delicate taste, the spring/summer onion is an ideal choice for salads and other fresh and lightly-cooked dishes.

Fall/winter Storage Onions

Fall/winter storage onions are available August through April. Also available in yellow, red and white, storage onions have multiple layers of thick, dark, papery skin. Storage onions have an intense flavor and a higher percentage of solids.

Storage onions are the best choice for savory dishes that require longer cooking times or more flavor.

The Color of Onions

Onions come in three colors - yellow, red, and white. Approximately 87 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about 8 percent red onions and 5 percent white onions.

Yellow onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor.

The red onion, with its wonderful color, is a good choice for fresh uses or in grilling and char-broiling.

White onions are the traditional onion used in classic Mexican cuisine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed.

Onion Sizes

Onions range in size from less than 1 inch in diameter (creamers/boilers) to more than 4.5 inches in diameter (super colossal). The most common sizes of onions sold in the United States are the medium (2 to 3 ¼ inches in diameter) and the jumbo (3 to 3 ¾ inches in diameter).