Look!: Nathan's Sprouting Red Onion

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AT reader Nathan shared this photo with us and described it as the poor man's paper-white...

He has actually sprouted a red onion in water in a ramekin. We think it's absolutely beautiful: the fresh green sprout and the pretty purple hue of the onion. Even the rocks in the water are just perfect. (Thanks, Nathan!) The photo below shows the forced amarylis bulb at Maxwell's house this year.

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Comments (18)

lol...poor man's paperwhite...

posted by spossberg on February 27th 2008 at 6:08am
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This rules! And, it's a beautiful photo. I'm curious to see it again in a week or two.

posted by visualingual on February 27th 2008 at 6:10am
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You know, I've had red onions sprouting in my refrigerator from time to time, but I never would have thought of turning "Oops!" into Art. Beautiful!

posted by Melinda on February 27th 2008 at 6:12am
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We totally need follow-ups on this... it has the potential to be the sprout-an-avocado trend of 2008, plus you're leaving me with an overwhelming urge to start a pot of chives and another of basil on the patio (where they will die of heat prostration by late May).

posted by wende in the twin cities on February 27th 2008 at 6:14am
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HeeHee. I just noticed I have one of those in my pantry. And it is pretty!

posted by Mella DP on February 27th 2008 at 6:15am
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Its pretty, but I would think this would make your place stink like an onion.

posted by shayna on February 27th 2008 at 6:15am
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Nice photo and funny comments, but (at least here) paperwhite bulbs are cheaper than red onions.

posted by ADonuts on February 27th 2008 at 6:22am
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Wow. Georgia O'Keefe, anyone?

(Also, as Melinda said, nice way to make accidental beauty!)

posted by moira on February 27th 2008 at 6:28am
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i've got a yellow onion sprouting on my sill. and it doesn't smell like onions, yo.

posted by kdkaboom on February 27th 2008 at 7:37am
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Haha I had about five "poor man's paperwhites" in my cupboard last week before I threw them out. Should have saved them!

posted by spaceagemouse on February 27th 2008 at 7:59am
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It really, truly is very pretty in a very funny. Thank you for this. Meanwhile, just exactly where is P2 when you need him?

posted by Curtis on February 27th 2008 at 8:27am
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What Curtis said! (assuming your P2 comment is a reference to the onion looking very phallic!).

posted by robyn on February 27th 2008 at 8:44am
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I do this with garlic. Separate them from each other and place in dirt and you have a wheat grass sort of look. Then you can chop the sprouts for salads (they have a more mild flavor).

posted by elizabet on February 27th 2008 at 9:37am
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That first photo makes me feel tingly down there.

posted by Jon_B on February 27th 2008 at 11:21am
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That is one erotic onion.
I forgot about sprouting avocados - I grew one about 2.5 feet tall (indoors) about ten years ago, but it didn't make it through our dim winter.

posted by peacelily on February 27th 2008 at 11:22am
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LOL. I had a 1/2 a head of garlic doing this last night when I went to make the Braised Leek in White Wine yesterday.

posted by kaanswfm on February 27th 2008 at 12:23pm
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Ok, so it's not just me that sees a very phallic houseplant! This is so ghetto and fun!

posted by theambershow on February 28th 2008 at 3:34am
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@ Melinda LOL!

If I knew sprouting foods were a GOOD thing, I'd have submitted my "coffee cup with unknown fungus" - from '96 - or maybe not!

That is one neat phot of an otherwise useless food (though I;d have it in salad, wth) - ta!

posted by PapaQuebec on February 28th 2008 at 11:53am
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