“The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” Numbers 11:4-6
I have never tasted the food of angels known as manna, though I wonder if angels eat onions. Often times when I’m upset or tired I find myself craving for good food and I feel like one of those Israelites who had undergone the exodus from Egypt. When hunger knocks at my belly I just don’t want to talk to people until I have that bite. Moreover there is only one thing that puts me at ease better than any other. Before I continue, I am sorry if I offended any of you who personally or professionally know me. Truth can’t be buried forever, even walls have ears (or nose). Thus dear reader, I have to make a confession: I am an addict.
Admitting it is the first step, they say. I call my habit “appetitus bulbus”[1], or some sort of addiction to crunching sweet onions. Not chips, but raw onions! How can I resist onions, when they have such a firm texture with layers of spicy nectar that opens up my appetite and can accompany almost any dish? Besides onions are low in pesticides, they are a good source of vitamin B and C, and are known for their health benefits (lowering bad cholesterol, preventing cancer and inflammatory reactions). Onion a day keeps the doctor away (and not just the doctor). I must admit I love garlic too, but I learned that my husband suffers from insomnia whenever I eat that. This is how I earned the nickname “Lukic”[2] whose author is none other but my own husband. A great deal of chewing gum, mouth wash and toothpaste could not erase this begotten name. Now I am stuck with it until death do us part. There is one thing that concerns me: when I get to heaven I hope they serve manna with onions.
“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12
[1] My own pun derived from Latin words: bulbus -i m. [an onion], and appetitus -us m. [longing , appetite].
[2] Bosnian word “lukic” means “little onion”.
Wonderful post Vlatka!! It almost makes me want to go eat a raw onion… ALMOST… but not quite! I love a big hunk of onion on hamburger though. Thanks for the truth application as well! I shall never look at onions the same!!
Thank you Debbie for allowing me to post on your blog. My mother infused into our diet this love for onions, she was a big onion eater. Now that I miss her I find comfort in munching raw onions.
Funnily enough, I was craving onions today and ate a really big hunk with hamburger tonight!!
That is funny Debbie! Well, I cannot imagine a good hamburger without onion. I wish there are more scriptures on onions. anybody?!