"Still Life With Onions" by Alfred Sisley (1839-1899) Where would we be without onions? The onion is a nutritious, easily stored and adaptable vegetable that plays vital roles in a wide range of cuisines. Furthermore, onions are pretty easy to grow and succeed in lots of different growing conditions. Where did they come from? The general consensus is they originated in central Asia from where, around 7000 years ago, they began to fan out with mankind's assistance around the known world. Onions were present in the cuisine and indeed the mythology of Ancient Egypt. When pilgrims emigrated to North America aboard "The Mayflower" in 1620, they took seed onions and planted them by their Massachusetts cabins. Later it was discovered that some Native American cultures were already growing and using onions. How had they arrived there from central Asia? Most probably over the land bridge that once linked north eastern Russia with Alaska. After all, that is the ...