are known as ‘green onions’ in the USA, and also as ‘salad onions’ or ‘scallions’. The last name is not exclusive, for it is also applied to the individual bulbs of aggregate onions such as shallots, and sometimes even to leeks. Most of the spring onions grown in the West are simply immature plants which, if left in the ground (and suitably thinned out) would develop into full-sized onions. Thus the same onion patch would produce spring onions, as thinnings, in spring, and large onions in the autumn.
Spring onions are now available all the year round, so the name has lost its original significance. Generally, white varieties of onion are chosen, purely for reasons of appearance. Spring onions from any variety of onion will, however, always be paler and milder flavoured than the fully developed bulb.
Spring onions can equally well be produced from the welsh onion, that is the oriental species (Allium fistulosum) which if allowed to develop further would simply become larger, rather than produce bulbs. See Oriental onions.
Spring onions are usually eaten raw in the West, in salads or on their own. There is no reason why they should not be cooked, except that they are more expensive than round onions. In Chinese cooking, where raw vegetables are rare, onions are normally cooked whatever their age.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
