What's going on with Walla Walla onions?

[aftermidnight]

I used to buy both cooking onions and sweet onions, for a couple of years now I've only been buying sweet onions and using them both raw and in cooking. Lately Walla Wallas for an example have been as hard as cement, wouldn't even bruise if dropped on the floor, I can hardly get a knife through them and when simmered all day in a soup pot the pieces are still hard and actually crispy when eaten. Raw in a sandwich they are like eating a piece of stiff cardboard, no way are they like the Walla Wallas I've bought in the past. I'm used to both sweet and regular onions cooking down into nothingness, just adding flavor. Not much flavor in these as well. Anyone know what the heck is going on with these? Then there's store bought bread, don't get me started on that .

 

[digitS']

There are at least 3 different types of Walla Walla, as best as I can understand.

These are non-hybrids but there is a grower organization that controls the name. I don't know that they limit the genetics.

I'm mostly talking through my hat here but University of California notes "Walla Walla - intermediate and long strains both exist ..." Osborne Seed sells a strain more suited to the Westside. What else is out there?

Steve

 

[seedcorn]

Aren't some things (thinking Walla Walla is one of them) named for where they are grown and not variety specific?

 

[aftermidnight]

Aren't some things (thinking Walla Walla is one of them) named for where they are grown and not variety specific?

Now that is something I didn't know, I've bought Walla Walla onions for years as being sweeter onions, the texture and tenderness was always good raw and used to breakdown in sauces and soups which is what I like them to do. These ones bought today are just horrible used any way. It looks like I'm going to go back to buying ordinary cooking onions, sometimes they are a little tongue biters in a sandwich tho. Would it help to soak the sliced onions in water for awhile to get rid of the and sting when they hit the tongue? We both love raw onion and cheese sandwiches, hubby likes his with ketchup, me I like vinegar on mine.

Annette

 

[seedcorn]

I believe you use milk to take onions? Could be wrong.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Aren't some things (thinking Walla Walla is one of them) named for where they are grown and not variety specific?

Seed, I tried to come up with specific on this and it's not that clear. Best I can determine a Walla Walla is a variety, so you can get seeds or starts and grow them yourself. Most seed companies seem to have them. But the soil and climate conditions where they are grown makes a lot of difference in how they actually taste. From what I read sulfur content in the soil is important.

My guess is that Annette got an onion that is the Walla Walla variety but was not grown in the Walla Walla area.

Vidalia onions can be different varieties but those are purely defined by where they are grown. But they need to be a sweet variety to start with. Seed companies do not have Vidalia onion seeds.

 

[seedcorn]

@Ridgerunner makes sense.