Everything starts with an onion.

Greetings, friends!

Welcome to CAULDRON!

When I don't know where to begin in the kitchen, I almost always default to Our Savory Queen, the onion. From the East to the West, the onion has more lore connected with it than any other single culinary ingredient I can think of. The onion was a symbol of eternity and an object of worship to the ancient Egyptians, it was considered a heal-all to the ancient Romans, and around the globe, it is a character in legends, wild folktales, and lewd jokes. The onion is the flavor-root of much of the world's traditional cuisines. It is a flower, a bulb, a vegetable, and a medicinal herb. It's hailed as an aphrodisiac, and it is associated with gods, devils, magic, and the dead. To summarize the tales associated with our pungent prize in a single post would be completely impossible. However, to this day, the onion is also a symbol of humble origins-- hearth and home-- so I can't think of a more appropriate place to begin.  

Show us the onions!

Here's a quick, easy, standard recipe for pickled red onions. You can use white or yellow onions for this, of course. I like using red onions because they turn a beautiful shade of bright pink, and they tend to be sweeter. 

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red onion, sliced thin, width-wise  
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 heaping teaspoon sea salt
• 2 even tablespoons sugar
• Additional herbs or spices, to taste:

             Try these: Black Peppercorn, for strength *

                              Thyme, for courage and love *

                              Cayenne and Coriander, for lust and love *

Directions: 

1. Place the sliced onion rings into a very clean mason jar (or two, depending on the size of your jars). I like to use half pints, in case I want to give some away. 

2. Combine vinegar, water, sea salt, and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for two minutes more.

3. Pour the warm liquid over the onions in the jars, covering the onions completely. Add your extra spices and herbs. Seal the jars, and let them cool on the counter for an hour or so before storing them in the fridge.  

4. Remember to label your jars with the contents and the date. Unopened, this will safely last 2 months, but try to use an opened jar within two weeks.

Enjoy plain or as a garnish for sandwiches, soups, beans, cold fish, devilled eggs, or anything else you like. Pickled onions are delicious, and will brighten up even the blandest potato salad.

* Wait a minute... is this pickley concoction a... love potion???  Why, yes! And just in time for Valentine's Day, and Lupercalia! Because nothing whispers love and passion quite like onion breath, stay tuned: I'll be posting more about why the humble onion has such a lusty reputation. You can search for my Onion tag, and for any other highlighted ingredient, on the sidebar.

So many layers of meaning.

Speaking of brightening up... next up at Cauldron, we will be looking at some Mid-Winter lights, and delights! Any guesses as to what the ingredient might be? 

In the meanwhile, show us your onions! Leave a comment: share your wild onion stories, your favorite onion recipes, and any questions you may have about onions! Photos and selfies with onions are also welcome!

See you next time!