The European Commission today included the “Madeira onion” in the Protected Designation of Origin category, highlighting the traditional production practices on the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo and the aroma of the bulb.
In a statement, the community executive highlights the aroma as “characteristic and sweet, with slight notes of sulphur or garlic, vegetal and fresh or earthy, not too pungent and persistent, but with medium to high intensity and complexity.”
After cooking, Madeira onions are softer and with notes of smoke/grill or caramel, maintaining their intensity and complexity.
The production of Madeira’s onion, the statement reads, is heavily dependent on the work of Madeiran farmers, since all operations, from the preparation of the “chives”, transplantation, the realisation of the cultivation until the harvest, and, in most farms, also its preparation for placing on the market, are carried out manually.
In the production of onions in Madeira, the parish of Caniço (Madeira Island) stands out, which ensures most of the regional supply and where annually, since 1997, the “Onion Festival” has been held to promote the traditional product and preserve the particular mode of production.
Also on the island of Porto Santo, recently recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, culture is covered by the strategic objective of safeguarding, valuing, and optimizing the island’s agricultural and cultural resources.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
