Most Slovenians know Ptuj as the country’s oldest town, but in culinary circles, it is gaining recognition for an unlikely delicacy: a local variety of red onion known as Ptujski Lük.

At first, the heart-shaped, purplish onion may not look special, but both its flavor and its history have made it a truly special vegetable. According to local legend, onions were brought to the Slovenian lands by the Turks. Whatever their origins, a special variety now known as Ptujski Lük emerged about 300 years ago. It quickly became prized for its pleasing flavor that remained strong even when the onion was cooked.

Soon, Ptujski Lük became a staple crop of the area. The soil around Ptuj is not ideal for many types of vegetables, but it proved ideal for onions. Onion sellers known as “lükarji” traveled through large parts of Central Europe – from Croatia all the way to the Imperial Capital of Vienna – selling dried strings of onions. Local houses even had onion-drying areas where Ptujski Lük was prepared before “lükarji” set out on the road late in the fall. The quality of the onions was prized far and wide, and a single cart of onions would often be enough for a family to send their children to school.

It isn’t just the taste sets Ptujski Lük apart; the variety also requires less water and fertilizer than other types of onions. This, along with a recent trend toward traditional Slovenian specialties, has spurred a renewed interest in the traditional onion variety.

In 2011, the European Union recognized the uniqueness of the variety and awarded Ptujski Lük a Protected Geographical Designation – an official status that regulates everything from packaging to seeds and ensures that only onions grown in the Ptuj area can carry the historic name.

Ptujski Lük is one of several traditional Slovenian products that now have a protected status – but is, so far, the only vegetable to have received such an honor.