The origins of the Tropea onion are largely unknown, but there’s a consensus among food historians that the onions probably arrived on the Italian peninsula via the Phoenicians and Greeks. By the medieval period, the Italian town of Tropea had well and truly claimed the onion as its own – numerous accounts from this period refer to red onions from Tropea.
Deep purple, rounded and at times elongated, bulbs have an extraordinary sweetness and amazing delicate scent with a light and enjoyable taste. Much sought after by gourmet chefs, it can also be baked, boiled, and used as a filling for omelets. In Tropea, it is also used to produce a delicious onion marmalade.