The Oignon de Roscoff is a variety of
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
that is grown in the
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
region of northwest France. The use of the name is protected by
appellation d'origine contrôlée
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...
(AOC) certification that was awarded in 2009, restricting the name to onions grown in a delimited area of the northern coast of
Finistère
Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090. , which includes the commune of
Roscoff.
In the 17th century, a monk brought pink onions from Portugal which he had appreciated during a stay in the country. He taught his neighbors at the
Couvent de Roscoff how to grow the very sweet and fragrant onion. It is a variety of pink onion of the species ''
Allium cepa'' cultivated traditionally in the region, which is characterized by the pinkish-coppery color of the outer coats and by its average size between 40 and 80 mm in diameter. The name of the appellation refers to Roscoff, the historical cradle of production and for a long time the only export port to Great Britain. The control and management body for this appellation is the Syndicate of the Controlled Designation of Origin “Oignon de Roscoff” headquartered in
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon (; br, Kastell-Paol) is a commune in the Finistère department in Brittany in north-western France, located on the coast.
It is noted for its 13th-century cathedral on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian ...
.
The onions were sold door to door in Britain by men who came from Brittany, known as "
Onion Johnnies".
A
Protected designation of origin
The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main ...
(PDO) application was submitted to the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
in 2010.
This was awarded in 2013 and is recognized by all member countries of the European Union.
The Roscoff Onion Festival started in 2003 and is held annually in Roscoff in August. The museum of the Onion Johnnies in Roscoff () traces the cultural traditions of the onions and the Johnnies.
References
External links
*{{cite web , title=Roscoff Onion PDO , url=http://www.oignon-de-roscoff.fr/ , publisher=Syndicate of the PDO Oignon de Roscoff
Onions