Walla Walla Onions--In the Raw and Oh So Sweet!

by Amazon al Dente at 12:38 PM PDT, June 25, 2009

During the winter months, I rarely use sliced raw onion on my sandwiches or in my salads. I simply find them to be too harsh to eat straight up.

However, now that summer is here and Washington's Walla Walla sweet onions are hitting the markets, I find myself tucking the sweet crisp slices into everything from pita pockets and homemade gyros to burgers, salads, and salsas. They are one of those seasonal regional treats that simply can't be purchased year round.

These onions hail from Washington's Walla Walla Valley, but they are originally from the Island of Corsica, which is off the west coast of Italy. More than 100 years ago, a French soldier named Peter Pieri gathered the onion seed and eventually brought it to this fertile valley in Eastern Washington. The rest is history, and the onion has been revered ever since.

Although there are other sweet onions on the market such as the Vidalia and Texas 1015, Kathryn Fry, the Director of Marketing for the Walla Walla Onion Marketing Committee explained the factors that set the Walla Walla apart.

She said, "The Walla Wallas are hand harvested and open pollinated... with a Walla Walla it's a natural sweetness. It's a really big deal." She also explained that consumers should look for the onion's official sticker which declares "Walla Walla Genuine Sweet Onion." This helps to ensure authenticity when various onions are sometimes carelessly combined in a produce bin at a store.

I had been poking through the onion's official website for ideas and stumbled upon this recipe for Walla Walla Sweet Onion and Watermelon Salsa. It seemed intriguing but odd. I asked Fry if the recipe was good, or if she had any other "best recipes." She told me the salsa is very popular and that it's awesome.

Over the years, I've learned to trust tips from industry folks like Fry. They know their product inside and out and they know what consumers like. So, Fry's endorsement sent me slicing and dicing last night. The salsa is cool, spicy, sweet, crunchy, and herbaceous. Perfect for a hot summer day.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion and Watermelon Salsa

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped watermelon (seeds removed)
3/4 cup chopped Walla Walla Sweet Onion
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeno chilies
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Stir together all the ingredients in bowl. Refrigerate, covered, at least one hour to blend flavors. Stir before serving.

Recipe Courtesy of the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee and The National Watermelon Promotion Board

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer