“scales” that store energy for the beginning of
the next growing season, and which naturally
keep well for months. Like the sunchoke and
its relatives, the onion family accumulates
energy stores not in starch, but in chains of
fructose sugars (p. 805), which long, slow
cooking breaks down to produce a marked
sweetness. Of course the fresh green leaves of
bulb-forming alliums are also eaten, and
nonbulbing kinds, including leeks, chives, and
some onions, give only their leaves.
The key to the onion family’s appeal is a
strong, often pungent, sulfury flavor whose
original purpose was to deter animals from
eating the plants. Cooking transforms this
chemical defense into a deliciously savory,
almost meaty quality that adds depth to many
dishes in many cultures.
The Flavors and Sting of Raw Alliums
The distinctive flavors of the onion family
come from its defensive use of the element