Bern: Onion Market
I hope that carnivores amongst the readership won’t object too much, but I feel a few vegetable-related posts coming on. It’s just that time of year.
The time of year when the Swiss love to have festivals celebrating a particular vegetable – be it pumpkin, turnip or carrot.
So a warm welcome to today’s vegetable; the onion. Starring at an onion market in Bern next Monday, 24th November. If you want to sound local, it’s called the Zibelemärit.
Most onions are of the genus Allium cepa (which I guess explains the Italian word: cipolla) but I wouldn’t betting you’ll find a good few variants on the stalls next Monday.
Some are intended to be eaten, others to be gazed at in wonderment. Currently I’m struggling to visualize 50 tons of onions. It sounds like a lot…
Certainly onions feature in so many recipes throughout the world it must be impossible to count them. Other than salt or pepper, is there a more common ingredient?
As usual in Switzerland there will be some form of fairground, and a craft fair, but the hardiest of visitors, arriving at 5am for the kick-off will be more impressed by the braided plaits of onions (and interloping garlic).
Cheese, and cheese flans, onion tarts and other delicacies await the hungry, with Glühwein to warm the cockles of your heart should you so desire.
Photo: Flickr clare and ben
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