ONION,HISTORY,USES AND RECIPE:onion in cheese sauce

ONIONS
The onion is a staple in most cultures; it has a long history, just like garlic. There are different types of onions, e.g. shallots, spring onions, pearl onions the wild onions and many more. Most people have cried while peeling onions and have their own remedies against this phenomenon.
In Mesopotamia the laws of Hammurabi stated that the poor should be given a monthly ration of bread and onions, showing that they were considered a staple at that time.

The onion originated in Central Asia, some say in Pakistan and Iran. It was growing wild in North America when the Pilgrim Fathers landed.
The ancient Egyptians revered the onion and small ones were found in the eye sockets of King Ramses IV, and because of the concentric layers of the onion, it was seen as a symbol of eternal life, and so it was found in the tombs of other pharaohs.
Both Dioscorides and Hippocrates waxed lyrical about the efficacy of the onion as a cure for diseases. Dioscorides recommended it as a cure for the hard of hearing.
Modern medical studies have shown that it can prevent some cancers; lower cholesterol levels kill infectious bacteria and help dissolve blood clots.
If you mix onion juice with honey, and take 3-4 tsps a day you may be able to protect yourself from the common cold. If you have a cold then this will help you get over it, and it works well to stop coughs, bronchitis and flu.
Because of its astringent and antiseptic qualities, it’s good to put on wounds and snake bites.
We use onions almost every day, in sauces, raw in salads and in the recipe below to which we add spices or herbs or both, depending on the time of year and how we feel.

Onions in Cheese Sauce


ingredients
1 1/2 oz plain flour
1 ½ oz butter
1 pint milk
4-6 oz grated cheese
seasonings to taste
2 – 3 large onions


Method
Peel and clean onions, then boil them in salted water for 20 minutes.
Make the cheese sauce; melt butter and remove from heat, add flour and stir to a smooth paste, add milk slowly continuing to stir till the mixture is smooth. When it boils, remove from the heat and add half the cheese, stirring until it melts.
Slice onions and arrange in an oven proof dish that has been greased with butter. Pour the sauce over them, top with the rest of the grated cheese and put in a preheated medium oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve with baked potatoes.
This is a Treat and has Taste.