For the love of cooking, Zorra of Kochtopf all the way in Switzerland invites Foodies of the World to Unite and celebrate Onion Day for the second year in a row, on November 26.
Their theme prompted me to explore ways to peel onions without crying.
A scientific take is offered by Cook It Quick!
Here is one of the suggestions: "The tearjerker in onions is a compound called propanethial-s-oxide, which is released in a vapor when onions are cut" according to Cheryl Forberg when the vapor comes in contact with the eye, it is converted to a form of sulfuric acid, which produces the stinging sensation and subsequent tears. Cutting onions under water or chilling them before cutting, will retard the enzymes that generate the noxious chemicals".
In the odd choices department someone on wikiHow mentions that "Grandma always held a silver spoon in her mouth while peeling onions. I tried it and it worked!"
In the UK, Lindsey Bareham penned a whole book Onions without Tears (Penguin) on the topic.
To conclude my Onion Festival, you might want to give a try to this Onion Soup without Tears Recipe (via 101 Cookbooks).
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