History of Bermuda Onions

The seed for Bermuda Onions were brought over to Bermuda from the Canary Islands before 1888, and within a few years Bermuda got into the onion growing business. Before then, a primary business in Bermuda had been shipbuilding -- the island had many cedar forests -- but the shipbuilding business sank, as it were, with the advent of steel ships.

By 1890, D. Landreth & Co. in America was importing from grown from Canary Island seed (though the company noted that the skin of the White Bermuda Onion "had quite a yellowish character"). By the beginning of the 1900s, the export of onions and Easter Lilies to the American mainland were important sources of income for the island . Bermuda Islanders still refer to themselves as "onions" and that is how this restaurant got its name.

By 1898, though, Texas of all places decided they wanted a piece of the action. Seed was imported from the Canary Islands and planted near Cotulla, Texas. The onions were very popular, and by 1907, more than 1,000 train carloads of onions were shipped out of Texas; by 1917, nearly 7,000 carloads. By 1920, they had displaced Bermuda as the major supplier of the onions.

Throughout this period, though, the seed had continued to come from the Canary Islands. Owing to the greatly increased demand for the seed, Canary Island suppliers found themselves increasingly unable to provide reliable, quality seed.

In 1925, seed was brought over from Spain for Grano type onions. In 1933, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station began to develop new cultivars from this Grano type seed. The new cultivars developed eventually displaced the Canary Island seed by 194.6, and Bermuda onions faded from all but popular memory.

From Practicably Edible

 

The origin of Bermuda Sherry Peppers

During the 19th Century, the British Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda was one of the largest and most strategic maritime bases in the world. Transient Royal Navy shipmen shared their incendiary sauce with seafaring and land-bound Bermudians who eagerly adopted and enhanced the recipe. At this time, Bermuda was mainly a maritime and agricultural society. Bermudians 'began cultivating quality pequin Peppers (or "bird" peppers as they are known locally) to trade with the sailors who had onboard, readily available casks of sherry. It was a mutually beneficial matrimony of convenience... Bermuda Sherry Peppers were born.

Outerbridge's Original Sherry Peppers

 

The Isle of Devils or Devils Isle

Bermuda was discovered in 1505 by Spanish explorer Juan De Bermudez. It is mentioned in Legatio Babylonica, published in 1511 by historian Pedro Martir de Angleria, and was also included on Spanish charts of that year. Both Spanish and Portuguese ships used the islands as a replenishment spot for fresh meat and water, but legends of spirits and devils, now thought to have stemmed only from the callings of raucous birds (most likely the Bermuda Petrel, or Cahow), also the loud noise heard at night from wild hogs and of perpetual, storm-wracked conditions (most early visitors arrived under such conditions) and a surrounding ring of treacherous reefs, kept them from attempting any permanent settlement on the Isle of Devils

Onions Pub and Restaurant Menu