[Sca-cooks] Re: Onion smell

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Lucrezia wrote:

> The main problem with onions is that when you cut them their chemicals
> evaporate into fumes when they interact with the oxygen in the air. This
> will happen at any temperature above 15 degrees Celsius.
> If you can keep the onion below about 15o (no idea what that is in American
> terms) you should have fewer problems.

By my calculation, that is 59 degrees Fahrenheit.  Chillier than the average
kitchen, any way you measure it.

> I'm very susceptible to the fumes so
> I usually cut them in the sink in cold water. Of course you then get cold
> hands - it's a no win situation! ;-)

When possible, I take my cutting board outside where the wind is blowing.  I've
also acquired a chopping gadget like the old fashioned onion choppers with one
change, the blades rotate a bit with each tap on the plunger.  I whack it a few
times, dump the little onion bits into a bowl downwind, then continue with
more.  Easy.

Selene Colfox
selene at earthlink.net