Georgia Magazine - April 2014 - (Page 46)
Southern, sweet
Vidalia onions-for the win!
BY REBECCA LANG
REBECCA LANG
A
Rebecca Lang's tasty Two-Way Vidalia Sliders With Toasted Pecan Mayonnaise pack a
double punch of Vidalia onions and melted
blue cheese.
unique pleasure of growing up
in the land of Vidalia onions is
seeing green sprouts exploding
through the sandy soil in nearly all
directions just as the weather begins
to warm. The famous sweet onions
are a natural part of life and so well
infused in many aspects that for
some, no other onions exist. It's not
uncommon for those who call Vidalia home to eat the onions raw like
apples. From whole, crunchy bites to
slow-cooked golden hues, Vidalias
are a sweet reflection of Georgia on
plates all over America.
The blessed soil stretches
through a 20-county area in Southeast
Georgia. The low-sulfur soil prevents
the stronger, hotter qualities of other
onions from developing. All winter,
the bulbs are nestled in the
unique soil, growing ready
for market by spring.
In the 1940s, sweet
onions from Vidalia became popular as a farmstand delicacy and quickly
spread throughout the state
as a sought-after vegetable.
As more and more cooks
fell in love with the mild
and friendly flavor, these homegrown
lilies paved the way for sweet onions
in this country. Vidalia onions were
the first sweet onion to be marketed
and sold in stores. The onions now
are distributed nationwide and have
annual sales of $150 million.
"One of the top culinary trends
for 2014 is sourcing locally grown
food. Vidalia onions are a Georgiagrown product that not only tastes
great, but supports local farmers
and builds the community. More and
more, consumers are becoming conscious of how local and sustainable
products can have a beneficial impact," says Karen Bremer, executive
director of the Atlanta-based Georgia
Restaurant Association.
Since the 1980s the growing region has been carefully defined, and
the name Vidalia is trademarked and
owned by the state. The crop is federally protected as well. In similar
fashion to the legal protections covering products like Champagne and
Asiago cheese, onions labeled as
Vidalia must be grown only in the
designated area.
About 12,000 acres of Vidalia onions are planted each year in the fall.
Farming the onions is a huge responsibility for those who make enjoying
the sweet vegetable possible for all
of us.
REBECCA LANG
GDEcD
Vidalia onions are Georgia
Grown beauties and the
state's official vegetable.
Known for their sweetness, Vidalia onions
are grown in a 20-county area of South
Georgia.
46
More online at www.georgiamagazine.org
"Being able to include myself on
the list of growers who have helped
shape this industry into what it has
become is an opportunity I am grateful for. As a young farmer, we are
faced with the challenges of continuing to grow and focus on the qualities and values of our fine product to
continue to be the best sweet onion
on the shelves," says grower and former Vidalia Onion Committee Chairman Aries Haygood of Lyons.
The Vidalia onion season begins
in April and lasts throughout summer.
There are a few essential tricks to
GEORGIA MAGAZINE
http://www.georgiamagazine.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - April 2014
Georgia Magazine - April 2014
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Festival Guide
Georgia's Energy Outlook
Currents
Falling in love with Georgia
More on GPB and Georgia Grown
Organ donations: The gift of self
More on organ donation
A wee, whimsical place
Catch spring fever!
More on travel across the Southeast
Visiting covered bridges
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Second helping: More Vidalia recipes
Snapshot!
More Snapshot photos
Plant of the month
April’s online trivia contest
Georgia Grown spotlight
Georgia Magazine - April 2014
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