Volume 10, Issue 076 - April 17, 2006

Hello ,

The topic this week may bring a tear to your eye...onions! Our friends at the National Onion Association will be our host. The title of this week's Foodservice Daily Newsletter is...Onions: Layers of Flavor! Let's start with a little history.

Onion History:

Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, no conclusive opinion exists about the exact location and time of their birth. Many archaeologists, botanists and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Other research suggests onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan.

Very likely, the onion was a staple in the prehistoric diet - long before farming or even writing was invented.

Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5,000 years or more. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other food of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, onions were useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption.

While the place and time of onion's origin are still a mystery, many documents describe their use in art, medicine and even mummification:

• One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch.
• Egyptian paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of pyramids and in tombs. The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-circle structure.
• Onions have been found in the pelvic regions, in the thorax, flattened against the ears and in front of the collapsed eyes of mummies.
• Onions are mentioned to as being eaten by Israelites in the Bible.
• The famous medical treatise Charaka of the 6th century B.C. celebrates the onion as medicine - a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes and the joints.
• The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games.
• The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates bask to the eighth and ninth century A.D.), included many references to onions.
• In the Middle Ages, onions were used as rent payments and wedding gifts.
• The Pilgrims brought onions on the Mayflower and then found strains of wild onions already growing throughout North America.

Source: National Onion Association

Bring on the Onions! Onions for All Seasons and All Tastes. History, Health Facts, Trivia, Quotes, FAQ's, Handling Tips and Awesome Recipes! Onions-USA.org

Ultimate Onion Bloom

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients:

Beer Batter:

3 cups cornstarch
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
24 ounces beer

Seasoned Flour:

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 onions, colossal (4-inch in diameter or larger)
as needed oil

Creamy Chili Sauce:

1 pint mayonnaise
1 pint dairy sour cream
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

For Beer Batter:

Combine cornstarch, flour and seasonings. Add beer; mix well.

For Seasoned Flour:

Combine ingredients and mix well.

Cut about 3/4-inch off top of onions and peel. Cut into 12 to 16 vertical wedges, but DO NOT cut through bottom (root end) of the onions. Remove about 1-inch of "petals" from center of onion. Soak cut onions in ice water 10 to 15 minutes. If onion petals do not separate and "bloom" cut petals slightly deeper.

Dip cut onion in seasoned flour mixture and remove excess by shaking, dip into batter and remove excess by gently shaking. Separate "petals" to coat thoroughly with beer batter. Gently place onion in fryer basket and deep-fat fry at 375 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Turn over and fry an additional 1 to 1-1/2 minutes longer until golden brown. Repeat with remaining onions.

Drain on paper towels. Place onion upright in shallow bowl and serve with Creamy Chili Sauce, if desired.

For Creamy Chili Sauce:

Combine ingredients and mix well. Spoon chili sauce into small cups. Place one cup in center of each bloom and serve.

Source: National Onion Association

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Bulb Onion Production

World Onion Production:

At least 175 countries grow onions. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, there are an estimated 6.7 million acres of onions in the world, producing 105 billion pounds of onions each year. Approximately 8 percent of this global onion production is traded internationally. Leading onion production countries are China, India, United States, Turkey and Pakistan, respectively.

Domestic Onion Production:

U.S. farmers plant approximately 142,000 acres of onions, producing approximately 6 billion pounds of onions (excluding dehydration production) each year. The U.S. onion industry accounts for 2.5 percent of the world onion acreage and over 7 percent of the world onion production.

U.S. Production Locations:

Onions are grown in more than 20 states, literally border to border and coast to coast. Leading U.S. onion production areas are Idaho-Eastern Oregon, Washington and California. (See U.S. onion acreage/production tables click here).

Onion Imports:

During the past five years, annual onion imports have ranged from 466 to 689 million pounds. Leading countries importing onions into the U.S. are Mexico, Canada, Peru and Chile.

Onion Exports:

Annual onion exports during the last five years have ranged from 620 to 763 million pounds. Leading export countries for U.S. onions are Canada, Japan, Mexico and Taiwan.

Onion Producers:

The National Onion Association estimates 1,000 growers produce onions in the United States. Virtually all onion producers grow other agricultural crops.

Value:

The annual value of the U.S. onion crop is nearly $1 billion at the farmgate and $4-5 billion at retail.

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Italian Bistro Tart

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound puff pastry (12-inch)
1/2 pound lean bacon, cooked and diced
5 medium yellow onions, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

Preparation:

Prepare a 12-inch puff pastry shell rolled to 1/8-inch thick and shaped into a 14-inch circle. Place in a tart pan and fill with pie weights. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Cook onions in butter over low heat, in covered pan, until soft and tender. Do not brown onions. Spread cooked bacon and onions in pre-baked crust. Beat egg, cream and garlic salt together in medium bowl. Pour over bacon-onion mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and egg mixture sets. Let stand five minutes before cutting.

Source: National Onion Association