Onions-the source of much joy and many tears

Onions are as much a basic part of cooking as a form of fat is. Unfortunately a lot of people discover, over time, that onions don't love them back. This morning I want to tell you about your different options and my personal findings so that you don't have to live without those bulbs that bring to tears to our eyes. White onions are the most common. They are the strongest and seem to cause people the most issues. From GI distress to Migraines, if an onion is the cause of your problem, the white onion is the first one to avoid. Yellow onions are only slightly less common and a bit weaker and sweeter than white onions. This variety is less likely than the white onion to cause ill effects. The beautiful red onion is a personal favorite of mine. I can't get enough of it. It has a wonderful mild and sweet flavor that just adds to your food. I find the red onion causes no ill effect in people who are unable to have the white onion. I am not saying that if you go anaphylactic over a white onion that you should try the red, I would strongly discourage trying any onion in that case. But for people who have migraines, GI Distress, acid reflux and heartburn from onions, I would definitely suggest trying the red onion. The Shallot! This is a mysterious and often feared gourmet cousin of the onion. If you can not tolerate any onions, try the shallot. This little gem is often described as a cross between an onion and garlic. Yes they are small and expensive, but, you use less of them. When I use shallots, I equate one shallot to one red onion. They are much stronger, so you just use less. If a recipe calls for half an onion, use half a shallot. If it calls for 1/4 c onion, use 1 T shallot. Add these later in the cooking process instead of sauteing them early on. A burnt shallot is worse than burnt garlic. When I temporarily switched to shallots, my husband didn't know the difference. Leeks are also an option, that I think many people don't really know what to do with. The leek is very mild and when cooked becomes so sweet that it can be served as a vegetable(braised leeks). The downside of leeks is that they are fibrous, much like dehydrated celery. The key to dealing with this is small pieces. Slice it lengthwise a few times, and very thinly across, then make certain to cook it all the way. Young leeks can be eaten and used like scallions. I don't know that you can find these in stores, but they grow beautifully. I am limited on my use of scallions. I have no doubt that you can cook with them, I just haven't. I have always used these as a garnish or eaten them whole, sometimes grilled. They are mild and I can not speak from experience as to if they cause issues or not for people. No, I have not forgotten to address the sweet onions like Vidalia and Walla Walla. I have never had a draw to these onions and therefore don't know much about them. If onions are a problem for you there are a few other things you can do to ease the effect of them on your body: 1) eat young or spring onions, as these have less of the compounds that upset our systems 2) make certain your onions are cooked all the way 3) don't mix them with large amounts of grease or other irritants. I hope this helps you have a happier relationship with the onion family.