Pearl onion

Pearl onions are cultivated mostly in Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy,[6] usually in home gardens,[1] although formerly on a commercial scale.[5] They are mostly used for pickling.[7]

The majority of onions grown for pickling are common onions (A. cepa).[8] They are grown to a small size suitable for pickling by planting at a high density.[9]

Known small white varieties include Crystal Wax,[6] or White Bermuda.[10] Red varieties are milder in flavour.[11] Pearl onions are ready to harvest from seed in 90 days.[10] They can be stored for up to a month in a cool, dry, dark place.[11][12]

Pickled pearl onions.

Because of its uniquely small size and a taste sweeter than that of a common onion,[2][10] it has also been used in dishes ranging from mid-20th-century American casserole dishes such as succotash to sweetly flavored onion relishes in Indian cuisine. It can also be used in stews soups or sautéed (fried) with other vegetables.[3][2][13] It can also be used in cocktails such as "martini standing".[6]

Pearl onions are a staple to the cuisine of Northern Europe. Also in modern Europe they are used as a beautiful flowering plant and in Israel as a cut flower.[5]

Pearl onions contain chemical compounds that have health benefits including helping cardiovascular health and stabilize blood sugar levels, and acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.[11][12]

Larry Wall's yearly serious State of the Onion speeches about advancements in Perl programming, an allusion to the many layers of the language, are named as a pun both on the pearl onion and the US presidents' State of the Union addresses.