Onion

I was cleaning up my flower beds for fall when a wasp stung me on the cheek. Not only did it hurt, but I feared it might swell up so my eye would shut. I remembered your writing something about a cut onion, so I sliced the end off an onion and held it on the sting for about 20 minutes. It took the pain away quickly, and the site did not swell up either. Thanks for the remedy. Thanks for the report. According to Eric Block, an expert in onion chemistry, there are enzymes in freshly cut onion that help break down the compounds in a sting that cause inflammation.

* O.J. finds killer: Los Angeles -- After months of tireless searching, a triumphant O.J. Simpson announced Wednesday that he has found the killer of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. "I am deeply sorry for doubting you ..." said lead prosecutor Marcia Clark.This is the devilish work of the Onion. The weekly humor publication started as a college humor sheet by a couple of Midwesterners in 1988 and, until recently, enjoyed a faithful underdog following."People think they have discovered the Onion in the last two years," says Onion staff writer Carol Kolb.

McCormick & Co. Inc. said yesterday that it will sell the California-based unit that makes its onion and garlic-based products, shedding about 11 percent of the Sparks spice giant's sales but, apparently, a smaller share of its profits.ConAgra Inc., of Omaha, Neb., will pay an undisclosed price for Gilroy Foods Inc. of Gilroy, Calif., McCormick spokesman Mac Barrett said. Gilroy makes products such as onion powder, onion salt, minced onion, garlic powder and garlic salt, which are sold to food manufacturers and to other McCormick operations for sale at supermarkets under the McCormick brand.

Here's a sumptuous combination for the fall season -- pork loin chops in a bed of fresh spinach.To prepare spinach, place freshly washed leaves on a microwave-safe plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave 1 to 2 minutes or until bright green and slightly wilted.For the salad, use the tender inner leaves of a head of romaine lettuce. Concoct a quick salad dressing by combining equal parts yogurt and mayonnaise with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a dash or two of soy sauce.A dessert of warm pecan pie from a bakery makes a sweet finish.

The onion business is continuing to bring tears to the eyes of McCormick & Co. Inc.A poor onion crop at a California subsidiary and the continuing economic doldrums held back earnings growth at the Sparks-based spice and flavorings company.While income for the second fiscal quarter was up 6 percent -- excluding a one-time gain of $1.9 million for the sale of a cleaning supply company during last year's second quarter -- it was below the 15 percent annual growth the company is seeking in its per-share earnings.

McCormick & Co. Inc. said yesterday that its first-quarter earnings increased slightly but at a rate less than expected because of a soft retail market and a poor onion crop at its Gilroy Foods subsidiary.Income for the fiscal quarter ended Feb. 28 was up 2.8 percent, and earnings per share were up 4.8 percent, the Sparks-based )) company said.The difference was because of McCormick's ongoing stock buy-back program, which decreased average outstanding shares by 0.25 percent, to 81.9 million.

The best dinnerware designs seem to be used and copied for years. Some have been in use since the 18th century, when porcelain first became inexpensive enough to be made into sets of dishes.The willow pattern showing a bridge, birds, trees and pagoda, and sometimes people, has been used on dishes made in Asia and in England since 1780. The blue-and-white Blue Flower pattern has been made by the Royal Copenhagen factory since 1780. But the pattern that seems to have been made and copied the most is now called Onion or Blue Onion.

In 1989, during the first semester of Sarah Jay's senior year in college, the former Westport, Conn., resident lived with a family in Southern Spain. Every Sunday, the family's matriarch, Isidora, would prepare a lunch of paella for her children, their spouses and her grandchildren. Jay would observe how Isidora sauteed the various ingredients, setting them aside until all were cooked. Then she would assemble them in the paella pan with a layer of rice and other ingredients for the final stage of cooking.

When it comes to members of the vegetable kingdom, there are the glamorous aristocrats -- artichokes and asparagus come to mind -- then there are the humbler types -- parsnips, turnips, beets and rutabagas.It's hard to get more "down to earth" than roots, bulbs and tubers. While their green, leafy tops can make good eating, their real bounty is hidden below ground, where the fleshy, edible roots grow to maturity surrounded by soil.Like the earthy potato, sweet potato and onion, root vegetables generally are low in calories and cost, high in flavor and nutritional value and can stand up well to long periods of storage.

Selma Kopelman of Brookline, Mass., sought help in finding Sonny Bono's pollo chicken recipe. She lost a recipe her daughter-in-law had given her. Helena Blum of Baltimore came to the rescue. She said she had a recipe from the Feb. 6, 1990, issue of Woman's Day magazine. "I never tried it. Now I will," she wrote. The dish features breaded chicken breasts, which are topped with fresh tomatoes and onions, and then baked. Blum also included other information about Bono from the article.