Romancing an onion..
Am I the last person in the world to have found out that a little ambiance will save me from the agony of onion tears?
In case there is still one of you left, here is the magical trick that has eluded me all my life:
Keep a candle lit near you while you chop an onion.
No. more. tears.
Mom? Dad? I was 24 years old when I finally learned the whole righty-tighty, lefty-loose thing.
But I'm not sure I can forgive you for this one.
Labels: london, tips, vegetables
posted by Michèle at 11:29 AM
13 Comments:
Wow, how did you find that out? The nerdy part of me really wants to know how that works.
Thanks for saving me from future onion tears :)
I didn't know that either. But then I always wear either glasses or contact lenses, and onions don't really make me cry anyway..
Enuwy, I have no recollection where I read that but as I was chopping onions recently and my eyes started stinging I remembered it. I had sort of brushed it off when I first read it, thinking it can't possibly be that easy, but as soon as I lit the candle, all was well again.
Pille, sometimes I wear my glasses too but I find that some onions just kill me! This definitely did the trick.
Well....I am um...older, and I never knew the righty/lefty thing or the candle trick...You can teach an old...new tricks
The geeky part of me feels compelled to say that the reason it works is that the volatile compounds in onions, which are airborne when cut, are burnt off by the flame.
Some people say freezing or chilling onions also works ... but the candle is MUCH more romantic!
this is great news! now i can stop wearing my uber old school science class geeky googles the next time i have to chop some onions.
Alisa, well oh my goodness, 2 life lessons in one day? I swear your life will be forever changed..
Tara, yes, thank you! Enuwy asked that and I forgot to explain. You know I always fully support your geeky side ;)
Chris, ha! I had often thought of getting a pair of goggles myself-- so I'm glad to have found the candle cure, if only because G would have made endless fun of me if I were wearing goggles.
Didn't know about the candle trick, will have to try it. Thanks!
Really! What a great tip. I don't normally have problems since my contacts seem to protect me for the most part, but this is a definite good way to get my husband to chop some onions the next time I need some. ;)
K&S, your welcome!
Poopycat, well I hope the tip helps--anything to get the man to chop!
Contacts have always helped me with onions, but I stopped wearing them in 1992.
I sometimes used a running water stream nearby where I was cutting to take the sulfuric acid and other volatiles out of the air. I like the candle idea much better, less water waste, and more portable.
Anonymous, I had once read that it worked to peel (or cut?) the onions under water, but I always thought that seemed a bit risky. Especially for a clumsy girl like me. The candle is definitely a better way to go.
Sadly, the candle doesn't work for me. I have to have my husband chop them for me.
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