Onions Throughout History

	The onion was considered an ancient symbol of eternity because of the concentric circles that make up their internal structure. For the same reason, onion-shaped towers were popular decorations in Russia and Eastern Europe; they guaranteed the building would stand more or less forever.
	Some food historians place the earliest onion cultivation at the edges of the Mediterranean over 5,000 years ago. Others believe that the onion originated in Central Asia.
	Egyptians numbered over 8,000 onion-alleviated ailments. They even used them in mummification because they were believed to improve breathing.
	During the Middle Ages the three main vegetables of European cuisine were beans, cabbage, and onions.
	George Washington said, “The onion is the most favored food that grows.” He enjoyed onions cored, stuffed with mincemeat, and baked — like apples.
	During the Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant sent an urgent message to the War Department: “I will not move my army without onions.” The very next day, three train loads of onions were on their way to the front.
	During World War II, Russian soldiers applied onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic.
	Turkish legend has it that when Satan was cast out of heaven, garlic sprouted where he placed his left foot, an onion where he placed his right foot.
	Countless folk remedies ascribe curative powers to onions: An onion under the pillow is thought to fight off insomnia; and chewing a raw onion sterilizes the mouth and wards off colds and sore throat.

Onions in Print

“The onion is the truffle of the poor.”
— Brillat-Savarin

“It’s hard to imagine a civilization without onions.”
— Julia Child

“It’s probably illegal to make soups, stews, and
casseroles without plenty of onions.”
— Maggie Waldron

“Few sandwiches are better than thinly sliced onions on
good buttered homemade bread as a snack or
accompaniment to other food.”
— James Beard

“Let first the onion flourish there,
Rose among roots, the maiden-fair,
Wine scented and poetic soul,
Of the capacious salad bowl.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson