The Latin name for the onion—caepa—is not the source of the word onion, but it is the source of the word chive, a small bulb-plant related to the onion. The Latin caepa became the French cive, which was adopted into English at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Pronounced like shive, the word cive remained the English name of this bulb until the mid nineteenth century when its spelling and pronunciation changed to that of the current form, chive. The older spelling of the name, cive, is the one that appears in civy, the name of a medieval sauce made by stewing the entrails of a hog with spices, herbs, and especially chive. Slightly more appetizing is the sauce named civet, made by soaking slices of toast in water and wine, then seasoning them, again with onions or chives. Apparently invented in the early eighteenth century, civet is still served with game dishes.
Perennial, bulbous plant of the lily family.
The most delicate member of the onion family. Chopped leaves offer great improvement to salads, soups, vegetables, omelettes, and cheese dishes. Essential kitchen herb!
A diminutive kin of the bulbous plant known for its slender, tubular, viridian foliage, which is employed as a flavor enhancer in numerous culinary preparations.
Chives are a type of onion with very thin, hollow, and delicate green leaves. They have a mild onion flavor and are often used minced or chopped as a flavoring in salads, omelets, sauces, vegetables, and soups. Chives also make a great garnish for cold dishes. It is important to use fresh chives for the best flavor.