A Kinder, Gentler Onion

By PAUL GRAY/

The humble onion that stung taste buds and left telltale traces on the breath is being eclipsed by new, less pungent breeds. They include such varieties as the 1015 out of Texas, the Imperial Sweet (California) and the Maui (Hawaii). Never mind that some of these hybrids pack all the consistency and taste of an unripe cantaloupe; never mind that they may serve to decorate a salad but will do nothing to spice up a stew. The National Onion Association reports that, thanks largely to the new designer hybrids, consumers are no longer holding their noses and that U.S. consumption of onions has jumped 50% over the past ten years.

With reporting by DAVID ELLIS