Henri smells of onions. It is not the acrid odour of raw onions eaten in
a kebab, but quite a pleasant aroma emanating from his clothes and body. This
is only natural for a true Onion Johnny, a man who lives in the constant company
of … onions.
To qualify as such, you must be a Breton from the harbour town of Roscoff
(Henri is from Tregor Plougoulm, only a few miles away), and spend from 4
to 6 months of the year across the Channel in the UK selling your very special
‘oignons rosés de Roscoff’.
Pink in colour and sweet in taste, they melt as they are cooked and will keep
for many months. The trademark name Johnny, Petit-Jean, was given last century
by the housewives who found that most sellers who turned up on their doorstep
were called Jean and many of them were as young as ten.