Donna Rhew sent me this story about protective aspects of having onions around the house. During the 1919 flu epidemic, a doctor was visiting farmers to see if he could help them to combat the pervasive disease. The doctor came upon a lot of people suffering from flu, then came to one farm where, to his surprise, everyone was healthy. When he asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in each room. The doctor asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under his microscope. When he did this, he found that the onion had absorbed the flu bug so that it didn’t get to the family.
Another story along these lines: a hairdresser in Arizona said that several years ago many of her employees and customers were coming down with the flu. She placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. (No word on what happened to the customers.)
Whether the stories are myth or reality may well depend on whether you believe them. Regardless, onions and other members of their family including garlic and shallots and scallions are very alkaline and pleasant additions to any meal. In one branch of Buddhist faith, monks reportedly aren’t allowed to eat onions because they are regarded as a sexual stimulant.
Maybe it would be useful to place an unpeeled onion in the Thanksgiving cornucopia? Below is one of my favorite recipes using this adaptable vegetable:
Braised Onion Rings—Peel and slice a pound of large onions into rings and place in a big saucepan. Add freshly-ground pepper, a teaspoon of thyme, a teaspoon of sea salt, and a cup of vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil; cover; reduce heat and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and reduce liquid (if there’s any left) by raising the heat for a few minutes. This is a fine garnish for baked acorn squash.
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