Known for their amazing sweetness and aroma, the origins of the Tropea onion are largely unknown, but they almost certainly didn’t begin life on the Tyrrhenian coast. There’s a consensus among food historians that the onions probably arrived on the Italian peninsula via the Phoenicians and Greeks, who sailed and traded across much of the Mediterranean sea some 3,000 years ago. By the medieval period, Tropea had well and truly claimed the bright red allium as its own – numerous accounts from this period refer to red onions from Tropea. Though the onions grow all over the region, the sandy soil and more moderate climate near the coast produces the sweetest onions of the bunch. A good Tropea onion is far, far sweeter than your average red onion, but contrary to popular opinion, this isn’t because they have a higher sugar content. In actual fact, they have a much lower pyruvic acid content, which makes them much less harsh and pungent and lets the natural sugars shine through. According to the locals, the sign of a good Cipolla Rossa di Tropea is that you can eat it like an apple!

We often think of Tropea onions all being the same, but they actually come in three distinct types. First, there’s the cipolla fresca – harvested in April – with a long stem and reddish-purple bulb. In June, the cipolla da serbo is harvested – this is the bright red, torpedo-shaped onion that we usually think of as a Tropea onion. And finally, the sweet white cipollotto arrives in October, resembling a spring onion in both appearance and flavour.

The incredible sweetness of the onion makes it a real all-rounder in local dishes – it is eaten in sandwiches, pasta dishes, burgers and salads and generously sliced over pizza. You’ll often see it served as antipasto – the onions take nicely to grilling, roasting and particularly salt-baking, but are sometimes eaten raw with a touch of oil. Frittata is another delicious local delicacy, where the onions are gently sweated then baked in an omelette. Tropea onions also make outstanding marmalade – the locals combine the onions with sweet peppers and cook them down for hours, making a delicious paste to spread on crostini or to eat with cold cuts and cheese.

If you’re feeling truly adventurous, head to Tonini Gelato in the town and order a scoop of Antonio La Tore’s legendary red onion ice cream. It’s a bizarre experience – though perhaps not as mind-boggling as his ‘nduja ice cream – but the flavour is uncanny. One thing is for sure – the people of Tropea certainly know their onions.