Onion — The Atlas

Onion is used in Medicine.

Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica lists onion (krommyon) among food-drugs with heating and drawing uses. A named onion in that handbook, not garlic as the neighboring allium and not a tear-comedy dump.

from Pedanius Dioscorides · De Materia Medica, 1st century CE

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Onion is used in Hyacinth.

In Ure’s Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, the viscid juice of onion or hyacinth, strengthened with gum arabic, is named as a mordant to make gold-leaf adhere — hyacinth juice stands as the alternate sticky mordant beside onion.

from Andrew Ure · Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, 1839 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is associated with Garlic.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, onion and garlic sit together among the hot kitchen simples for wind and cold distempers — onion and garlic mark that paired kitchen cure.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is used in Wine.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, onions or garlic taken in wine help free those who have taken henbane — onion is that wine antidote dose.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is used in Treacle.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, country people make a great onion hollow, filling the place with good treacle, and after roast it — onion holds that treacle fill.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is used in Bread.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, country people eat onions fasting with bread and salt as a preservative against infection — onion sits with that bread fast meal.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is historically related to Honey.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, a red onion is bruised and boiled in verjuice with clarified honey and mustard, and the hot smell is taken for a rheum in the head — onion is prepared with that honey.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Onion is historically related to Milk.

In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, a poultice for drawing uses bread and milk with boiled or raw onion, softened with oil or butter — onion sits in that milk poultice.

from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)

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Onion is historically related to Butter.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Jerusalem artichoke soup braises sliced onion with bacon and butter in the stewpan before the stock is added — onion is braised in that butter.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Onion is historically related to Flour.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, cheap onion soup fries the onions in butter, then thickens with butter and flour before serving — onion soup is finished with that flour thickening.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Onion is historically related to Nutmeg.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, lobster soup simmers onion with anchovies, herbs, and lemon-peel, then seasons the liquor with nutmeg before finishing with cream and milk.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Fasting is used in Onion.

In Culpeper’s English Physician, to eat onions fasting with bread and salt is named among the preservative uses — fasting seats that onion morning dose.

from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

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Sage is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, sage-and-onion stuffing for geese and ducks boils onions then dips sage-leaves with them before mixing with bread crumbs — sage is prepared with that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Clove is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, savoury beef tea puts clove and onion with the beef in the stewpan — clove is simmered with that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Bay is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, turtle soup takes bay-leaves with a large onion stuck with cloves among the herbs — bay is boiled with that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Mace is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, calf’s-head soup puts an onion stuck with cloves with blades of mace in the stew — mace is simmered with that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Thyme is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, turtle soup boils common thyme with a large onion stuck with cloves among the herbs — thyme is boiled with that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Pepper is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, onion soup seasons chopped onions with salt and pepper in butter before the stock — pepper seasons that onion.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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Vinegar is historically related to Onion.

In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, stewed eels fry onion in butter, then simmer the fish with vinegar among the seasoning — onion and vinegar meet in that stew.

from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861

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