Philadelphia Weekly

June's a big month for national food holidays, though you likely haven't heard of most of them.

You might have missed National Applesauce Cake Day (June 6), but why not look forward to National Ice Cream Soda Day (June 20), Chocolate Eclair Day (June 22) or Chocolate Pudding Day (June 26)?

Before we get ahead of ourselves, it seems we've overlooked May, which commemorated one of my favorite foodstuffs: the Vidalia onion. These bulky, sweet onions appear a few months each year, migrating all the way from Vidalia, Ga., where they're grown (and are beloved as the state's official vegetable). Seeing flaky-skinned mountains of these hardy yellow orbs reminds me that not all members of the allium genus are created equal.

Vidalias are adored for their caramel sweetness. What red peppers are to green, what yams are to Russets, what in-season heirlooms are to wintertime Roma tomatoes, so are Vidalias to white onions. They shine in recipes where their flavor can stand out. Buttermilk-battered onion rings are an ideal accompaniment to barbecue fare. A sprinkling of sea salt coaxes a dreamy salty-sweet blend.

An airy souffle is the perfect delicate main course for spring. Served with French bread, it's a scrumptiously savory option for a weekend brunch. Bacon may have been invented to pair with Vidalia onions. Sauteing the rings with a few smoky slabs creates a great all-purpose topping for just about anything: hamburgers, baked potatoes, puff pastry tarts. Summer salsas and guacamole are infinitely improved without the risk of biting into spicy bits of unpleasantly sharp raw onion.

Simmer down three or four onions to a sticky brown heap, store in the refrigerator and marvel at how easy it is to add flavor to almost anything. Sprinkle it atop goat cheese and toast, layer it with tomato and basil, toss it into butter and Parmesan pasta or smear it onto a meaty sandwich.

Experimenting with Vidalias has inspired me to appreciate other onions I've overlooked. Until recently, green onions languished to flaccidity in my crisper drawer. Now I seek out recipes to use them. I threw handfuls onto a cold somen noodle salad with mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and cucumbers and eagerly looked forward to the refreshing dish in my lunchbox.

Scallions don't always have to be sliced into paper-thin moons. Cut into 1-inch pieces, they become a flavorful, prominent green counterpoint in dishes like cashew chicken, brown rice and summer rolls.

And then there are the sophisticated and easy-to-use shallots, which I like best crispy or glazed. It's amazing what a topping of fried shallots and sliced almonds can do to an ordinary plate of asparagus or green beans. Toss slices of dried apricot and a dash of cinnamon into the pan and you have a Middle Eastern topping for steamed rice, couscous or lamb.

There's something quite comforting about rediscovering and appreciating an entire plant family. Is it any wonder that some of the century's greatest poets--Sylvia Plath, Robert Haas, Wislawa Szymborska, Naomi Shihab Nye, Adrienne Rich--paid tribute to this honest bulb? Naruda might have said it best: "Also I will remember how your influence/ quickens the love of the salad,/ and it seems that the sky contributes/ in giving you the fine form of hail/ to celebrate your brightness minced/ over the hemispheres of a tomato."

I recommend you enjoy your salad and tomato hemispheres on June 17, which is Eat Your Vegetables Day.