Cocktail onions are pickled garnishes for drinks like martinis, usually made from sweet onions like pearl or Crystal Wax. They can be seasoned with spices and sugar, and are often consumed after the drink. They can be made at home by blanching onions and pickling them in a mixture of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and spices.
A cocktail onion is a pickled garnish for cocktails such as martinis. Together with the olives and maraschino cherries, they form a trio of three classic edible side dishes that can be found in well-stocked bars. Like these other garnishes, cocktail onions usually come in large containers that hold the onions along with their pickling medium, usually brine. Many grocery and liquor stores stock cocktail onions.
Typically, a pearl onion is used as a cocktail onion. Pearl onions are naturally sweet, making them a great pairing with many cocktails. Other sweet onions such as Crystal Wax, also known as Bermuda White, are also sometimes used. In many cases, white varieties of these sweet onions are used, as many consumers expect cocktail onions to be white. However, yellow or red sweet onions can also be used.
More typically, cocktail onions are salted and are sometimes seasoned with turmeric, paprika, or similar spices. In many cases, sugar is added to the brine to enhance the natural sweetness of the onions. Lightly salted sweet onions go well with acidic drinks. Savory, salty, or plain drinks are also enhanced with the addition of a cocktail onion, which can be consumed after the drink is consumed or left behind, depending on personal taste.
Generally, the onion maintains a slightly crunchy texture through the pickling process, which can add a different mouthfeel to the drinking experience. Since cocktail onion is made from a sweet onion, it’s unlikely to upset digestion with a sulfurous or eye-irritating taste, although some cultures do use more pungent onions as cocktail garnishes.
To make cocktail onions at home, start with a pound of pearl or other sweet onion. Blanch them briefly to loosen the skins and cut off the roots and stems, peeling off the skin along with them. Next, measure out a half cup each of white or sherry vinegar, cider vinegar, water, and salt. Add a quarter cup of sugar and spices to taste such as mustard seeds, turmeric powder, juniper berries, peppercorns, allspice, rosemary, or chili peppers. Heat this mixture until boiling, stir in the onions, cook for another two minutes, then remove from heat. Once cooled, add a cup of vermouth and store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. When a cocktail onion is called for, use a clean utensil to fish it out.
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