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Already mentioned by Giovanni Boccaccio in The Decameron (6th book), the onion of Certaldo (Florence) is the symbol of a peasant civilization with very ancient traditions. It was probably included in the coat of arms of the local municipality by the Alberti feudal lords of the village, during the XII century. The coat of arms, in fact, shows a red and white shield with the onion towering over it, and the motto “By nature, I am strong and sweet, and those who live and work here like me”. For this reason, the inhabitants of nearby Castelfiorentino, who have the lily of Florence on their own coat of arms, still make fun of the people from Certaldo, addressing them as them “cipolloni” (“big onions”).

The onion of Certaldo is a “Slow Food praesidium” and looks rounded, a little flattened, of medium size, with red skin and a strong taste – the latter can be more or less sweet or spicy according to each season.
These onions are harvested in two slightly different varieties, from May to August, and from August to September. They are excellent in soups, dried in hot oil, sieved, served with the addition of vegetable broth and potatoes, mixed in French bread dough, or boiled.

They are available for purchase in Tuscany, for instance at CONSORZIO ORI DI TOSCANA, via Salvador Allende 19 / G1 cap 50127 – Florence (FI)

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)