[Sca-cooks] What would you advise?

[Bronwynmgn at aol.com]

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In a message dated 1/11/2002 9:59:55 AM Eastern Standard Time,
rosine at sybercom.net writes:


> Are there any kind of substitutions for onions? Is this actually an easy
> fix? Are we going over-board in catering to this sigular sensitivity?
> ...I'm at a loss as to how to address this, and at some point, as the
> baroness, I'm going to have to. So does anyone have any suggestions?

A few well-aimed slaps?  Just kidding.

As far as I know, there are no substitutes for onions.  I've known a few
people who could tolerate the dried minced onions sold as spices, or onion
powder even when they couldn't eat the real thing, but if her allergies are
really that severe I would not advise experimentation.  I think that
expecting your cooks to avoid onions in every dish is totally unrealistic,
not to mention arrogant and a few other words I won't get into.  I think that
making sure there is a nice selection of foods that do not contain onions,
along with other foods which may, is what she should expect, IF she takes the
time to let people know that this is needed.

The first thing I would suggest is to take them aside and let them know that
you have noticed how upset she has  been by this situation, and that you'd
like to help them.  Then quietly suggest that if she contacts the cooks ahead
of time to inform them (or remind them) of her allergy,  most of them will be
very willing to make sure to have a good selection of foods that she can eat
available for her. Explain that they cannot be expected to do so if they
don't know ahead of time about her problem.  I would also point out that
others enjoy onions and should not be expected to forgo them completely just
because she is allergic to them.  That would be like me saying that no one at
a wedding reception can eat anything (meal or dessert) because I can't eat
chocolate, and the only available dessert is chocolate.  Try to use a mundane
example like that to point out how unreasonable she is being about expecting
all onions to be avoided.  Maybe mention salad bars and dishes in restaurants
that contain onions; she certainly cannot expect a restaurant to remove the
onions from their salad bar and immediately stop cooking any dish with onions
when she walks into the restaurant.

Just a few thoughts.

Brangwayna Morgan