For many it is the queen of the kitchen. Inevitable in the home pantry, it is among the most renowned products of the Italian territory. Tight in a purple-colored dress, its aroma often puts our eyes to the test. We are talking about red onion. Not any kind of Tropea onion. So precious that it was decided to organize a party all for her!
Not just any party
It is neither a festival nor a common village festival. It’s called a party. A term not used to add English to our language. And not even to support them. But to better convey the idea of an event in which the onion is the protagonist in its many facets. This is how Paolo Pecoraro specifies, the main organizer of the celebration. It seems to be no longer time to limit yourself to a simple local fair. The objective is in fact to bring the Tropea onion to cross the boundaries of its territoriality.
And to do so it seems essential to “dream big.” Open the mind, be open-minded so as to favor the international knowledge of an all-Italian product. So that’s why the guests at the party include cooks but also farmers, bartenders, oenologists, bakers and many others. But that is not all! If the onion undoubtedly makes us think about the food and wine sector, it is also true that this product borders on many other areas. Then you will understand why the event is attended by experts in cosmetics, fashion, medicine, art and literature. Which is enough for us to get an idea of the interdisciplinary relationships of a single product. An opportunity not to be missed that will take place between April 26th and 28th in the splendid setting of Tropea.
Onion of Tropea, sure you know everything?
Typical product of the Calabrian Tyrrhenian belt, the red onion is aesthetically characterized by its color. A casing almost purple, enclosing a vegetable with a unique flavor. Unlike the other varieties of onions, the one of Tropea is more gentle on the palate thanks to the sugars present in it. A delicate aroma due to a microclimate typical of this place. The sea, the specificity of the land and the balance of a mild temperature between winter and summer. A delicacy known already in the past. The Phoenicians were importers of it. But also the Romans who used it as a useful medical remedy.
And indeed the ancients had seen us along. The Tropea onion is indeed rich in anthocyanins. These are substances responsible for the reddish coloration found in many other foods, purple cabbage to name one. But there is more. In fact, anthocyanins possess many other properties: antioxidants, blood pressure reducers, anticancer drugs. A knowledge that in history passed through various popular beliefs. So a good red onion juice was recommended to prevent hair loss and the formation of skin spots. But also to soothe the burning of insect bites. Particular curiosities that make us understand how the Tropea onion is a real benefit for the palate but also for the whole body!
