The Secret Trick My Grandmother Taught Me: Cloves in an Onion
As a child, I watched my grandmother stick cloves into whole onions before adding them to soups and stews. It looked strange, but it was her way of adding flavor, tradition, and care to every meal.
This simple “piqué” technique—common in classic French cooking—adds warmth, spice, and depth to stocks, sauces, and broths. Beyond taste, it has natural healing benefits: onions soothe colds, and cloves are antiviral and antioxidant-rich.
Sometimes, she didn’t even cook it—placing the clove-studded onion on the counter acted as a natural air freshener, keeping rooms fragrant and pests away.
Now, I continue the ritual. A few cloves in an onion, simmered slowly, transforms any dish—and brings a touch of my grandmother’s wisdom into my kitchen. 
