Our Layered History, Part II

​In the 1st millennia B.C. (that is, after 1,000 BC), onions became ubiquitous in the written records of human history. This allows us to understand the remarkable importance and popularity of onions in early civilizations. The Israelites described onions in the Bible and the ancient Sanskrit text on Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, promoted onions as one of the most important remedies for heart, joint, and digestive illnesses. Alexander the Great brought onions from Egypt back to Greece in the 4th century B.C. It was believed that strong food produced strong men and Alexander the Great made sure his armies were eating a diet high in onions for fortitude.
 
After Rome conquered Greece, the onion became a staple in the Roman diet. The oldest surviving cookbook, originally titled De Re Coquinaria and attributed to the 1st century A.D. Roman gourmet, Marcus Gavius Apicius mentions onions over 100 times! It is fascinating to peruse (check it out here: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/29728/pg29728-images.html)
 
The Romans introduced the onion to the rest of Europe, from Italy to Spain, the Balkans, Central Europe, and England. Excavations of the destroyed city of Pompeii revealed a complex network of onion production, as confirmed by many Roman historians. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe entered into the Dark and Middle ages where the main sources of food for entire populations were beans, cabbage, and onions. During that time, the onion was heavily used as both food and medicine, and was often more valuable than money!
 
With the Renaissance and the new trade routes in the Age of Exploration, onion cultivation was spread around the world as Europeans planted onions everywhere they went. According to some records, onions were the first vegetable planted by the colonists who invaded North America. But onions weren’t new to the indigenous North Americans; many indigenous peoples had been foraging wild onions for centuries, perhaps millennia. Interestingly, the name “Chicago” has been traced to an Algonquin word shikaakwa (also seen spelled cigaga and che-cau-gou) meaning “skunk weed place” because so many wild onions grew in the area.
 
Today, onions are grown and eaten around the world more than any other vegetable! It is one of the only truly global ingredients. So next time you slice up an onion, remember you are part of a long tradition and worldwide culinary practice.