A few facts: There are so many old wives' tales about how to avoid tears when chopping onions that it's hard to know where to begin. Common sense should tell you that the sharper your knife and the quicker you chop, the fewer tears you'll shed. Other, more dubious, tricks include: freezing the onion for 20 minutes before chopping, biting down on two kitchen matches with the sulpher tips positioned under your nose, holding a wooden spoon between your teeth, chopping near the stovetop fan, and--if you don't mind looking a little like a mad scientist--wearing a pair of safety goggles.
What they look like: There are many different varieties of onion to fit your various cooking needs. The type used most often in cooking is the yellow onion. Green onions, or scallions, are often used as garnishes or finishing touches to spice up a dish. The pearl onion is a small pickling onion. Vidalia onions hail from the rich soils of Georgia and are known to be extremely sweet and juicy. A few other types include: Bermuda, Spanish, Italian, globe, Maui, Walla Walla, and boiling onions.
Selection tips: Look for onions that are firm and heavy for their size, covered with dry, papery skins, and with no signs of spotting or moisture.
Storage tips: You may keep them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot for up to two months. Once cut, however, onions should be tightly wrapped, refrigerated, and used within four days. If you want to keep uncut onions even longer, cut off the top of a clean pair of pantyhose, drop onions into a leg, and hang in a cool, dry place. The circulating air will slightly increase their staying power.
How to eat them: Onions can be sauteed, boiled, fried, or served raw.
Peak growing season: You should be able to find at least one variety of onion year-round. Most types are more abundant in the warmer summer months.
Health benefits: Onions contain a decent amount of vitamin C and other trace minerals. You will also be able to keep your enemies at a distance with your harsh, post-onion breath. To prevent losing your friends as well, eat several sprigs of vinegar- or salt-dipped parsley. Chewing on fennel seeds, coffee beans, or chlorophyll tablets might also do the trick.
Nutritional info: (1/2 a cup, chopped raw) 30 calories, 1.5 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, a trace of fat (0.1 saturated), 2.5 milligrams of sodium, and 0 cholesterol.
