Look on any bistro or pub menu in America and you’ll likely find the term caramelized onions as an option for your burger. The word “caramel” may conjure up images of candy, which is somewhat correct.
When high temperatures are applied to certain foods, the sugars within them turn brown and release a delicious, sweet, nutty flavor. In other words, they turn to caramel. While this is readily apparent in the crunchy brown surface of crème brûlée (literally “burnt cream” in French) and Bananas Foster, caramelization is an important process that can take fruits and vegetables to another level… more
Sig Nordal 