cippolini/borettana onion

[Burning Colon]

I have been asked by some locals if I could procure this type of onion, yes I can from my friends at seeds-organic.com, they say in Central Ontario they are a hot topic and very flavourable.

I grew up in Central Ontario but never ran across them, even with my Italian Canadian background, guess they became popular after I left that region for Western Canada.

So what's so special about this type of onion and is it worth my time to start growing it, to give you an idea, I literally have hundreds on small multiplier onions growing as over the years I plant them and then in spring find them growing wildly in my garden. though they never reach the same size of the original bulb, it is none the less nice to have a fresh onion.

 

[Sorellina]

Ciao Mark-

Thanks for posting this. I had forgotten that Greta had cippolini seed. I see her every year at the Toronto Seedy Saturday, so I'm making a note RIGHT NOW to ensure I'm not without seed for next year. I looked far and wide for sets back in late winter without any luck at all. American suppliers have them, but of course they don't ship sets here as they're considered plants, not seeds. I've since planted the onions I need for the year, but will for sure grow the cippolinis next year.

Cippolinis are more expensive than regular onions and my favourite for using in kebabs and grilled salads. Their flattened shape lends them quite well for kebab use. In the fall, I like to braise them with balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar until caramelized as a side dish with meats. They're absolutely worth growing!

 

[Burning Colon]

Grazie Julianna,

I didn't want to order just 1 package of seeds from Greta as that would be a waste of her time.

Today I drove all around Calgary's speciality markets looking for cippolini and found none..... until I got home, a neighbour, whose husband recently passed away and the same man that gave me suryanki cluster seeds directly from northern India said she may have some.... her husband was fond of me and often talked about me to her. Today she was out for a walk and I offered her rhubarb as I have done in the past with her husband. One thing lead to another and next thing we are discussing onions and tea, her father had a tea plantation in India and she believes she may have seeds/pods for tea plants, she doesn't know if they are any good but will give them to me along with the onions.

I am sure I will start growing them and am now dreaming of caramelized onions, delicious!

Say hello to Greta and let her know, as promised, I plugged her company both here on THP and on Dave's garden.

Mark