Pickled Onions

[Sakkarin Profile]

Why are "proper" onions so weeny these days? Not much bigger than pickled onions.

I'm whingeing because I'm having to chop up three of the silly little things to end up with one onionsworth of onion...

I'm guessing something to do with Brexit.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Do you mean the raw red and white ones ? I buy mine loose and choose the size I like ... however, they are all of a similar size (medium?) I think the large white ones are pre-packed and a premium is charged for them.

It's shallots that I lose patience with as they are so difficult to peel

[Sakkarin Profile]

That must be the answer - you're nicking all the decent-sized ones

[Suffs Profile]

Sakkarin … I’m thinking you mean ‘brown onions’ … Bro is a big grower for the major supermarkets … yes we’re near or at the end of supplies of homegrown ones … normally at this time of year we’re importing them from mainland Europe but of course, there are now all sorts of delays etc … Bdooly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine isn’t helping supplies either. A dry spring here won’t have helped our onion farmers … but hopefully this years onion harvest which should start next month, will be a good one … however even tho Bro and his pals grow quite a few, I doubt if we’ll be self-sufficient in onions for a good few years yet… just a few of the family farm onions http://www.suffolkproduce.co.uk/

[Badger's Mate Profile]

It’s also a fact that the highest yield per acre of onions is achieved at plant densities that produce small onions. It’s true also for other veg such as carrots. However, small carrots can be very effectively marketed at a premium as ‘baby’, implying ’young & tender’, whereas little onions are not so popular so there’s a compromise to be made.

I’ve noticed that ‘baby potatoes’ are now being sold. Presumably these reflect improved storage technology as they aren’t new potatoes.

[Suelle Profile Website]

I haven't found onions to be very small - I often only use half an onion in a meal for one, then have to think of a way of using up the other half before it goes off.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I haven't found onions to be very small - I often only use half an onion in a meal for one, then have to think of a way of using up the other half before it goes off.

Same here, I often buy echallion (banana) shallots as one is often a single portion

The loose onions in Morrisons last week were nice firm onions, very uniform and I’d say medium sized, averaging 140g

[WWordsworth Profile]

Re pickled onions, I find co-op own label ones the crunchiest.