Mark Kurlansky is exactly the kind of guy you want to be seated next to at a dinner party. It wouldn’t be hard to strike up a conversation with him since he can find (or make) any topic fascinating, historical, educational and downright sublime. After writing about the histories of cod, salt and milk, among other things, Kurlansky takes a deep dive into the life and very flavorful history of the onion in THE CORE OF AN ONION.

From Italy to India and pretty much every continent in the world, the onion is one of the most healthy, easy-to-grow and in-demand vegetables ever cultivated. It was once considered to be part of the lily family, but it is an Allium, a bulb that is best dug out of the ground before it begins to flower and definitely not during a rainy season. Whether you want them sautéed, puréed, roasted or raw, the onion (which comes in about 12 different varieties) is a standard in most cultures around the globe.

"Don’t miss out on this book. You will breathe easier, feel better and heal faster thanks to [Kurlansky's] dogged research."

Kurlansky talks about the onion’s growth as a mainstay of diets since the early days of civilization --- its myriad health benefits, its use as a protective shield (its bulb and its harsh emissions), and its importance in the world of trade. There are a hundred-plus recipes in this slim volume that will help you overcome the flu and impress your dinner guests simultaneously.

Cervantes, Shakespeare and Mark Twain are among the writers who have remarked upon the onion’s import in their fictional and memorial tributes and writings. The ways in which the mere onion have been celebrated and rendered mystical by food critics, cooks and premier chefs in every corner of the world are fascinating, and their subsequent recipes give the reader a chance to consider and try out new ways to use this kitchen staple.

Kurlansky is not a fanciful writer. He is so excited about every new discovery concerning his simple topic that he tends to run from one informative declaration to another as fast as he researches them. It is easy to get caught up in the rapid flow of this short work as he tears through thousands of years of cooking lore and builds up the onion to be the most delightful addition to any dish. Watch out especially for the recipes that make it clear the onion can help us heal as well as maintain health. If the flu season is as bad as the authorities say it will be, every reader will benefit from the variety of uses of this pungent vegetable.

THE CORE OF AN ONION stands proudly along the library of Kurlansky knowledge that graces millions of bookshelves across the planet. Don’t miss out on this book. You will breathe easier, feel better and heal faster thanks to his dogged research.