There’s Now an Onion That Doesn’t Make You Cry

1 minute read

A U.K. supermarket operator claims it has introduced the ingredient that many home cooks have been longing for: a no-tears onion.

Asda’s website says the onion, called an Asda Sweet Red, has been selectively bred to have “lower pungency levels” than regular onions, meaning fewer tears will be shed when chopping and the odor won’t linger on your breath for quite as long.

The onion has been 20 years in the making and was developed by British farmer Alastair Findlay of agricultural co-operative Bedfordshire Growers.

Findlay tasted some 400 to 500 bulbs every season in order to select those with lower pungency. His colleagues are presumably glad that his experiments are now at an end.

7 Foods That Taste Better Now Than They Will All Year

Kale
Kale: The cold-weather king, bitter kale is made mellower by the bitter cold. It can thrive in temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, Casanova says.Getty Images
Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts: If you still think you hate Brussels sprouts, try them now. They're sweeter than summer sprouts, she says. (Failing that, of course, try frying them with bacon.)Getty Images
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi: "Cabbage turnip" in German, this knotty, weird-looking root vegetable is a survivor. "Kohlrabi does not like hot summer temperatures at all, but thrives in cool weather," Casanova says. "Transplants can be put out six weeks before frost with an expected harvest in only a few short weeks."Getty Images
Mustard greens
Mustard greens: The peppery plant kicks its way through the winter, and always tastes sweeter when it's nipped by frost. Getty Images
Parsnips
Parsnips: Yes, even foods that aren't green can withstand the cold. The pale parsnip, which looks like a yellow-white carrot, is best harvested after a hard frost, Casanova says.Getty Images
red cabbage
Cabbage: It may look like a delicate flower, but some types of cabbage can survive temperatures as low as 26 degrees, Casanova says, making it ideal for a winter harvest.Getty Images
collard greens
Collards: "They grow best in full sun, tolerate partial shade, are rich in vitamins and sweetened by frost," she says.Getty Images

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Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com