A Breton Tradition - The Onion Johnny
Have you ever heard of an 'Onion Johnny'? It's the name given to Breton farmers and agricultural labourers who travelled on bicycles selling the distinctive pink onions grown in Brittany to their neighbours in Great Britain. Onion Johnnies went door to door selling their fresh produce to anyone who would buy.
Tying the strings of onions to their bikes allowed them freedom to travel about wherever they could make sales and they were a regular sight on the streets of Britain. Travelling from the Channel ports they even made their way regularly to Orkneys and the Shetlands high up north.
The strings were securely tied to their bikes and because they weighed kilos the strings needed to be strong. There is a system to tying the onions on the string with the onions plaited into a tress, in order of size. The largest onion at the end is referred to as penn kapiten – the Captain.
