Two glass jars of pickled silverskin onions from Aldi's Deli range sit on a dark wooden surface against a shimmering silver disco ball backdrop. The left jar contains "Sweet Silverskin Onions" with tiny onions in a dirty brown liquid, whilst the right jar holds plain "Silverskin Onions" with pale white onions. Both have black lids and white labels featuring illustrated onions.
Published in Food
theaardvark

Pickled Onion Review #5: Aldi's "The Deli" Silverskin Pickled Onions

Several years ago, over a significant number of pints, a good friend recounted to my wife and me a bus journey he took in India. The day after a heavy night, he trusted some flatulence that badly betrayed him. Suitably embarrassed, he cleaned himself up at the next opportunity. Having no replacement underwear, he was forced to travel the remainder of the journey commando. It was only sometime later, sitting opposite a local woman and her young child, that he realised her disapproving looks were because he'd split the seam of his trousers at the crotch.

Tasting Aldi's "The Deli" Pickled Silverskin Onions and Sweet Pickled Onions, it occurred to me that food is often more about the journey than the destination. Specifically, these onions reminded me of my friend's journey.

Everything about these onions is disappointing. The ingredients list itself portends a dismal experience, listing everything that's wrong with mass-produced pickled onions. Spirit vinegar. The artificial flavour "boost" from acetic acid which appears to have failed here. And a preservative; properly pickled onions don't need preserving – that's what the pickling is for.

Two opened jars of pickled silverskin onions viewed from above, revealing their disappointing contents. The left jar shows tiny sweet onions floating in amber-coloured liquid, while the right jar contains anaemic-looking white onions in clearer vinegar. A glittery disco ball surface sparkles menacingly in the background, as if mocking the poor quality of the onions below.

I started with the non-sweet variety. Tiny little silverskin onions are usually unfulfilling, but here their size is a blessing. The taste is insipid and the vinegar has no bite; it's reminiscent of wine that's gone off. The texture is of fruit that's over-ripened and gone soft.

The sweet onions are much the same, but with a pickling solution that contains far too much sugar.

I can find no redeeming characteristics. I couldn't even eat more than was necessary to form these opinions. I tipped the contents of both jars into the bin, which probably increased their value.

Total shite.
0 onions out of 5.
❌❌❌❌❌

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