“Why onion rings?”
I’ve heard this question from a lot of people on my journey across this beautiful, wonderful, oddball state. They say to me, “Vermont isn’t known for its Onion rings,” to which I respond:
“Exactly.”
It’s not about the onion rings. It’s about the journey. It’s about Vermont.
Yes, I do enjoy Onion rings. They hold a special place in my heart. Like Proust with his Madeleine, an onion ring is a vehicle to the past. But let me tell you a little about onion rings, why I find them so interesting, so tasty.
How the onion ring came about is unclear. There is no one established, for sure, as “inventor,” but someone thought of battering the vegetable and eating them. One of the earliest recipes is found in John Mollard’s cookbook from 1802.[1] The recipe was named “Freid Onions with Pasezan Chees.” In this recipe is the earliest written instance of cutting onions, battering them, and frying. In 1910, in the Middletown NY Daily Times, a recipe appeared for “French Fried Onions.” In Oak Cliff Texas, a restaurant chain called the Pig Stand has laid claim as the originator, as they have also claimed “Texas Toast.”[2]
While the origin of the onion ring is murky, what is not is its rise in popularity. With the expansion of fast food restaurants in the 1950s and 1960s came the inclusion of the onion ring, even persisting in a form at one of the big two fast food chains, Burger King, to this day. As our society has evolved, so has the onion ring. There are many varieties today. Here are some of the kinds you will find out there in your culinary adventures.
Onion rings in their most basic form are cross-sectioned onions cut into “rings” that are then coated in a batter, then fried. Simple, but within this, there are variations.
Beer batter: By adding beer to the batter, bubbles add body and lightness. It also can produce thick fluffy onion rings with an almost cake-like consistency.
Tempura batter: A Japanese flair comes with these onion rings, with their light and crisp shell.
Pancake batter: Coated in this technique, the onion rings are super sweet, almost dessert-like, not a savory dish. They are good with powdered sugar and syrup.
Onion strings: These can be considered a form of onion rings. Rather than concentric rings, battered then fried, onion strings are cut up onions dredged in flour, or a light batter, then cooked. They are far more onion than batter, crispy and thin.
Onion bloom: Popularized by the restaurant chain Outback Steakhouse, the onion bloom is a whole onion cut into petals battered and fried whole. These onion rings are usually accompanied by a dipping sauce or rémoulade.
Onion choice can wildly affect the flavor of onions. Typically, sweeter onion varieties are used for onion rings, but using white onions, which are more pungent and sharp, has not been unheard of, but these onion rings are more onion and tangy than sweet. The ingredients for onion rings are simple, but the space for variation in each is great. You can add bread crumbs, flavor the batter, or add spices and cheeses. I’ve seen sweet and sour onion rings, buffalo onion rings, and even dessert onion rings. Like life, there is infinite opportunity for variation and experimentation.
That is why I love onion rings.
[1] Bread sliced double thickness and pan-fried with butter and garlic.
[2] “The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined” (page 152)
