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The Onion Biography & Facts

An onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified as a separate species until 2011.: 21  Its close relatives include garlic, scallion, leek, and chive.This genus also contains several other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion Allium fistulosum, the tree onion Allium × proliferum, and the Canada onion Allium canadense. The name wild onion is applied to a number of Allium species, but A. cepa is exclusively known from cultivation. Its ancestral wild original form is not known, although escapes from cultivation have become established in some regions. The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season. The onion plant has a fan of hollow, bluish-green leaves, and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day-length is reached. The bulbs are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy modified scale (leaves) that envelop a central bud at the tip of the stem. In the autumn (or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions), the foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become more dry, and brittle. The crop is harvested and dried and the onions are ready for use or storage. The crop is prone to attack by a number of pests and diseases, particularly the onion fly, the onion eelworm, and various fungi which can cause rotting. Some varieties of A. cepa, such as shallots and potato onions, produce multiple bulbs. Onions are cultivated and used around the world. As a food item, they are usually served raw, as a vegetable or part of a prepared savoury dish, but can also be eaten cooked or used to make pickles or chutneys. They are pungent when chopped and contain certain chemical substances which may irritate the eyes. Taxonomy and etymology The onion plant (Allium cepa), also known as the bulb onion or common onion,: 9–10  is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. It was first officially described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 work Species Plantarum. A number of synonyms have appeared in its taxonomic history: Allium cepa var. aggregatum – G. Don Allium cepa var. bulbiferum – Regel Allium cepa var. cepa – Linnaeus Allium cepa var. multiplicans – L.H. Bailey Allium cepa var. proliferum – (Moench) Regel Allium cepa var. solaninum – Alef Allium cepa var. viviparum – (Metz) Mansf.A. cepa is known exclusively from cultivation, but related wild species occur in Central Asia and Iran. The most closely related species include A. vavilovii from Turkmenistan and A. asarense from Iran.The vast majority of cultivars of A. cepa belong to the common onion group (A. cepa var. cepa) and are usually referred to simply as onions. The Aggregatum Group of cultivars (A. cepa var. aggregatum) includes both shallots and potato onions.: 20–21 The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion (A. fistulosum), Egyptian onion (A.  × proliferum), and Canada onion (A. canadense).: 9–10 Cepa is commonly accepted as Latin for "onion" and has an affinity with Ancient Greek: κάπια (kápia) and Albanian: qepë and is ancestral to Aromanian: tseapã, Catalan: ceba, Occitan: ceba, Portuguese: cebola, Spanish: cebolla, Italian: cipolla, and Romanian: ceapă. The English word "chive" is also derived from the Old French cive, which derived from cepa. Description The onion has been grown and selectively bred in cultivation for at least 7,000 years. It is a biennial plant but is usually grown as an annual. Modern varieties typically grow to a height of 15 to 45 cm (6 to 18 in). The leaves are yellowish- to bluish green and grow alternately in a flattened, fan-shaped swathe. They are fleshy, hollow, and cylindrical, with one flattened side. They are at their broadest about a quarter of the way up, beyond which they taper to blunt tips. The base of each leaf is a flattened, usually white sheath that grows out of the basal plate of a bulb. From the underside of the plate, a bundle of fibrous roots extends for a short way into the soil. As the onion matures, food reserves accumulate in the leaf bases, and the bulb of the onion swells. In the autumn, the leaves die back, and the outer scales of the bulb become dry and brittle, so the crop is normally harvested. If left in the soil over winter, the growing point in the middle of the bulb begins to develop in the spring. New leaves appear, and a long, stout, hollow stem expands, topped by a bract protecting a developing inflorescence. The inflorescence takes the form of a rounded umbel of white flowers with parts in sixes. The seeds are glossy black and triangular in cross-section. The average pH of an onion is around 5.5. History The history of ancestral onion species is not well documented. Ancient records of onion use spans western and eastern Asia, so the geographic origin of the onion is uncertain. Yet, domestication likely took place in West or Central Asia.: 20–21  Onions have been variously described as having originated in Iran, western Pakistan and Central Asia.: 1 Traces of onions recovered from Bronze Age settlements in China suggest that onions were used as far back as 5000 BC, not only for their flavour, but also for the bulb's durability in storage and transport. Ancient Egyptians revered the onion bulb, viewing its spherical shape and concentric rings as symbols of eternal life. Onions were used in Egyptian burials, as evidenced by onion traces found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV.Pliny the Elder of the first century AD wrote about the use of onions and cabbage in Pompeii. He documented Roman beliefs about the onion's ability to improve ocular ailments, aid in sleep, and heal everything from oral sores and toothaches to dog bites, lumbago, and even dysentery. Archaeologists unearthing Pompeii long after its 79 AD volcanic burial have found gardens resembling those in Pliny's detailed narratives. According to texts collected in the fifth/sixth century AD under the authorial aegis of "Apicius" (said to have been a gourmet), onions were used in many Roman recipes.In the Age of Discovery, onions were taken to North America by the first European settlers, who found close relatives of the plant such as Allium tricoccum readily available and widely used in Native American gastronomy. According to diaries kept by certain first English colonists, the bulb onion was one of the first crops planted by the Pilgrims. Uses Onion types and products Common onions are normally available in three colour varieties: Yellow or brown onions are sweet, with many cultivars bred specifically to accentuate this sweetness, such as Vidalia, Walla Wal.... Discover the The Onion popular books. Find the top 100 most popular The Onion books.

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  • The Onion Book of Known Knowledge synopsis, comments

    The Onion Book of Known Knowledge

    The Onion

    Are you a witless cretin with no reason to live? Would you like to know more about every piece of knowledge ever? Do you have cash? Then congratulations, because just in time for t...

  • Onion Street synopsis, comments

    Onion Street

    Reed Farrel Coleman

    From the author of the New York Times bestselling Robert B. Parker’s Blind Spot comes a Moe Prager Mystery.It's 1967 and Moe Prager is wandering aimlessly through his college caree...

  • Roast Figs, Sugar Snow synopsis, comments

    Roast Figs, Sugar Snow

    Diana Henry

    Diana Henry spent 5 years travelling and eating in search of the tastiest dishes from the snowiest climes, resulting in an irresistible collection of dishes from North America ...

  • The 50 Funniest American Writers synopsis, comments

    The 50 Funniest American Writers

    Andy Borowitz

    New York Times BestsellerThe creator of The New Yorker’s long running satirical column, and “one of the funniest people in America,” pays tribute to comedic geniuses both past and ...

  • Super Easy Soups and Stews synopsis, comments

    Super Easy Soups and Stews

    Abigail Gehring

    100 Delicious and Easy Recipes for Comforting Soups, Healing Broths, Game Day Chilies, and More!  Super Easy Soups and Stews offers 100 ridiculously easy recipes for all your ...

  • Lancaster Central Market Cookbook synopsis, comments

    Lancaster Central Market Cookbook

    Phyllis Good

    Central Market, just off the main square in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is the oldest continually operating farmer’s market in the US. It absolutely bursts with life every...

  • The Onion Field synopsis, comments

    The Onion Field

    Joseph Wambaugh & James Ellroy

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A fascinating account of a double tragedy: one physical, the other psychological.”Truman CapoteThis is the frighteningly true story of two young cops an...

  • An Onion in My Pocket synopsis, comments

    An Onion in My Pocket

    Deborah Madison

    As a groundbreaking chef and beloved cookbook author, Deborah Madison“The Queen of Greens” (The Washington Post)has profoundly changed the way generations of Americans think about ...

  • Onions of Eternity synopsis, comments

    Onions of Eternity

    Ilyan Kei Levanway

    Onions of Eternity is a brief and thoughtful book that expounds a few concepts addressed in my books, Thought Log 2015.08.17.1900, Circumscription Hypothesis, and Intelligent Unive...

  • Mornings with Barney synopsis, comments

    Mornings with Barney

    Dick Wolfsie

    “I enrolled Barney in obedience school. If I had known how being ‘bad’ would be part of his charm and would add to his success on camera, I might have given this more thought. I wa...

  • Ghostly synopsis, comments

    Ghostly

    Audrey Niffenegger

    Selected and introduced by the bestselling author of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Her Fearful Symmetryincluding Audrey Niffenegger’s own stunning illustrations for each piecethis i...

  • The Curry Secret synopsis, comments

    The Curry Secret

    Kris Dhillon

    There is truly no other curry book like this one. The recipes are not the traditional cuisine practised by Indians at home but the distinctive and wellloved variety served in India...

  • What Big Teeth synopsis, comments

    What Big Teeth

    Rose Szabo

    A Strand February 2021 Book of the Month "With a layered mystery, a haunting setting, and thrilling tension, What Big Teeth has an otherness to it that pulls you in and forces you ...

  • The Onion Peeler synopsis, comments

    The Onion Peeler

    Malcolm Whyman

    This book navigates the life of Malcolm Whyman, depicting a captivating view of wartime britain, the hungry 50's, the swinging 60's , the turbulent 70's and the free for all of the...

  • The Book of Onions synopsis, comments

    The Book of Onions

    Jake Thompson

    Ranging from the relatable to the utterly nonsensical and bizarre, The Book of Onions focuses on themes of loneliness, desperation, and failure. And misplaced optimism. And pe...

  • The Onion Girl synopsis, comments

    The Onion Girl

    Charles de Lint

    2017 Aurora Awards Best of Decade FinalistIn novel after novel, and story after story, Charles de Lint has brought an entire imaginary North American city to vivid life. Newford: w...

  • The Graphic Design Idea Book synopsis, comments

    The Graphic Design Idea Book

    Gail Anderson & Steven Heller

    This book serves as an introduction to the key elements of good design.Broken into sections covering the fundamental elements of design, key works by acclaimed designers serve to i...

  • The Everything Air Fryer Cookbook synopsis, comments

    The Everything Air Fryer Cookbook

    Michelle Fagone

    More than 300 easy, fun, and creative recipes for the hottest new kitchen appliancethe airfryer!The airfryer is an easy, healthier alternative to conventional fryers, and it’s quic...

  • The Onion synopsis, comments

    The Onion

    Al Perrin

    The Onion is the climactic fictional battle between the ultimate good and ultimate evil. It is the other side of the original bet between God and Satan over a man named Job in the ...

  • State of the Onion synopsis, comments

    State of the Onion

    Julie Hyzy

    Introducing White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras, who is risingand sleuthingto the top. Includes recipes for a complete presidential menu! Never let them see you sweatthat's Wh...

  • Truth in Advertising synopsis, comments

    Truth in Advertising

    John Kenney

    “F. Scott Fitzgerald said that there are no second acts in American lives. I have no idea what that means but I believe that in quoting him I appear far more intelligent than I am....

  • Peeling the Onion synopsis, comments

    Peeling the Onion

    Wendy Orr

    Jenny rushes in; stops and turns pale at the sight of my scaffolded neck. This isn't what she expected to see and for a moment Jenny, sunny, effervescent, everoptimistic Jenny, st...

  • On Spice synopsis, comments

    On Spice

    Caitlin PenzeyMoog

    A revealing look at the history and production of spices, with modern, nononsense advice on using them at home. Every home cook has thoughts on the right and wrong ways to use spic...

  • The Ecstasy of Defeat synopsis, comments

    The Ecstasy of Defeat

    Editors Of The Onion

    The Sports Page As You've Never Seen It Before From painfully obvious steroid revelations to sex scandals and superstars who announce trades in overthetop TV specials, the wide wor...

  • The Everything Restaurant Recipes Cookbook synopsis, comments

    The Everything Restaurant Recipes Cookbook

    Becky Bopp

    Everyone enjoys eating out at a favorite restaurant. But who likes waiting for a table or paying inflated prices for a meal? With more than 300 fast and easy recipes, now you can r...

  • Tasting Paris synopsis, comments

    Tasting Paris

    Clotilde Dusoulier

    Tasting Paris features new and classic French recipes and cooking techniques that will demistify the art of French cooking and transport your dinner guests to Paris. ...

  • The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook synopsis, comments

    The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook

    Alexe van Beuren & Dixie Grimes

    Locals go to the B.T.C. OldFashioned Grocery in Water Valley, Mississippi, for its Skillet Biscuits and Sausage Gravy breakfasts, madetoorder chicken salad and spicy TexMex Pimient...

  • Modern Bistro synopsis, comments

    Modern Bistro

    America's Test Kitchen

    Why eat out? Bring home the bistro and make your table the delicious place everyone wants to linger, with more than 150 classic and modern dishes to share.Bistro cooking is intimat...

  • The Onion Magazine synopsis, comments

    The Onion Magazine

    The Onion

    From America's Finest News Source comes a compilation of the most important, most influential, and glossiest magazine covers ever produced by the hand of humankind. Seen by tens of...

  • My Year of Flops synopsis, comments

    My Year of Flops

    Nathan Rabin & A.V. Club

    In 2007, Nathan Rabin set out to provide a revisionist look at the history of cinematic failure on a weekly basis. What began as a solitary ramble through the nooks and crannies of...

  • The Sirtfood Diet synopsis, comments

    The Sirtfood Diet

    Aidan Goggins & Glen Matten

    Discover the original international diet sensationused by Adele, UFC champion Conor McGregor, and Pippa Middletonthat will help you lose seven pounds in seven days while experienci...

  • The Onion Eaters synopsis, comments

    The Onion Eaters

    J. P. Donleavy

    On a cold day Clayton Claw Cleaver Clementine sets off westwards to take up residence in the vast haunted edifice of Charnel Castle. Clementine, a polite unkown unsung product of t...

  • Onion Skin synopsis, comments

    Onion Skin

    Edgar Camacho

    Discover a bright new star of Mexican comics in this romantic and thrilling tale, stuffed with adventure and delicious food. Rolando’s job was crushing him… and then it literally c...

  • Onions in the Stew synopsis, comments

    Onions in the Stew

    Betty MacDonald

    In Onions in the Stew, Betty MacDonald, author of the beloved classic, The Egg and I, is in unbuttonedly frolicsome form as she describes how, with husband and daughters,...

  • Chopping the Onion synopsis, comments

    Chopping the Onion

    Dusana Michaels

    Dusana Michaels shares her personal journey through the recovery from childhood incest. Her journal entries take you from the first inklings that a part of her life was missing to ...

  • How to Slice an Onion synopsis, comments

    How to Slice an Onion

    Bunny Crumpacker

    If you can slice an onion, you can cook almost anything. That's the first premise of this book. There are dozens more, all underlining the happy thought that cooking is easier than...

  • The Chapo Guide to Revolution synopsis, comments

    The Chapo Guide to Revolution

    Chapo Trap House

    Instant New York Times bestseller “Howard Zinn on acid or some bullsht like that.” Tim Heidecker The creators of the culthit podcast Chapo Trap House deliver a manifesto for everyo...