Another riddle from an unknown author: "Stews and pies, beans and rice; I do my best work when I’m caramelized."

Have you ever entered a kitchen where onions are being cooked? Boy, oh, boy, if you were not hungry before that, that smell alone will make your tummy rumble. One of the oldest vegetables used in cooking is the onion. In fact, its uses predate any written documents and evidence has been found that this versatile bulb was a part of the prehistoric diet. Back then, it was harvested and eaten as it was found. As farming techniques became more popular, our ancestors began cultivating it. It is believed that this first began in Chinese gardens back 5000 years ago.

Over 3500 years ago, in Egypt, it was revered and held sacred. The onion symbolized eternity and was buried with the pharaohs. Mummies have been found with onions placed in various different regions of the body such as the pelvic area, thorax, flattened against the ears, in front of the collapsed eyes, in the chest cavity and many other areas. Eternal life is represented by its "100 skins" because of its circle with-in circle structure. Placing the onions in various different areas of the body helped these enigmatic personas in entering the afterlife. The pharaohs presented the onions as offerings to the gods.

Although both of the Egyptian and Chinese cultures are known to have cultivated the onion, nobody is really sure about its origin or time of birth. However, its uses are quite impressive. Apart from mummification and in food, they are also used in art, to prevent thirst, as a strong antiseptic, in digestion and for good all around health. The ancient Greeks believed this vegetable to be so good for health and well-being that they were fed to athletes to fortify them and lighten the balance of blood. In Rome, the athletes used to rub the juice on their bodies to firm up their muscles.

One of the less perishable of vegetables, onions can last for several months and if dried can be used indefinitely. This was particularly advantageous to our ancestors because they could have this strong-flavored bulb year around. It can also be found or cultivated in a variety of soils and climates. And now, thanks to the globalization of our planet, we can find many different types of this very versatile "Old Lady" at our local grocers.

Back in the Roman times, six types of onions were known. To show you how much times have changed, now there are over 1250 species of this little treasure. They grow best in temperate climates, but some have been known to venture out into the tropical areas of the world.

Because of its wide spans of territory, nearly every culture uses onions in its culinary dishes. From very sharp and pungent to very sweet and mild, they are quite versatile. Onions can be used in stews, salads, pies, soups, meats, you name it, I’m sure someone has tried it.

One of the onion’s main distinctive features is its capability to make people cry. In my classes, one question that is most asked is "How can I prevent from crying while cutting an onion?" Before I can answer this question, we must look at the structure of the onion on a cellular level. Their cells have two sections one with enzymes and one with sulfides. When we slice into the onion, the cell wall is ruptured. The enzymes then begin to break down the sulfides and, thus, generate sulfanic acid. This unstable compound breaks down into gas that spreads throughout the air. When this gas reaches your eyes it reacts with the water to form a very mild solution of sulfuric acid. The tear glands then react to the irritation caused by the gas to dilute and flush out the irritant.

Now that you know all of that science, how is that helpful for you to prevent your eyes from tearing up? Oh, it is very helpful. The gas in itself is also not very stable. It wants to react with the water as soon as possible. Placing a bowl of water next to where you cut the onions will attract the gas to it before your eyes. Alternatively, covering the already cut onions with a wetted paper towel will also help out.

I am sure many of you can think of a million recipes right on top of your head where onions are used. For this issue, I will take a queue from the second riddle, "…I do my best work when I’m caramelized", and show-case a caramelized onion recipe.

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