Saturday, March 7, 2009

I'm a crier.

Posted by CB / no comments » / Random

I’m a crier. I admit it.

Every time I cut, chop, dice, slice an onion, I cry. Sometimes it can become full on bawling. That’s how I know I got a good one. But I think this is a natural right? All my friends are onion criers. T is an onion crier. My mom and his mom are onion criers.

How do the food network tv chefs cut onions but never cry? What’s their secret? Inquiring minds want to know.

(Can you tell I am sick, laying on the couch, holding a box of Kleenex and watching Food Network with nothing better to do than post rhetorical questions on my blog?)

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  1. 1

    An — March 7, 2009 @ 4:44 pm

    I hope there’s something good playing!

    Tearing up while cutting an onion is totally natural! It’s just the sulphuric compounds in there (I just read that somewhere) But hey, I find when I have to cut a fifty pound bag of onions at work that breathing through my nose, cutting a cold/semi-frozen onion or chewing gum helps loads!

    And if you still tear up, after washing your hands, damp a cold cloth on your eyes. But if it’s any consolation I’ve seen two t.v chefs tear up, it was a beautiful sight!

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:32 pm

      Chewing gum? I can totally do that! I wonder why that works. Mind over odor? hehee

  2. 2

    Tanya — March 7, 2009 @ 6:28 pm

    I’m the exact same way. I hate cutting onions because of all the tears. I’ve heard that you should always use a very sharp knife as that will minimize the stuff that comes out of onions that makes you cry. The other thing that has always helped is if the onion has been refrigerated before you cut it.

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:33 pm

      Yeah I’ve read that too. Maybe my onions are trying to tell me that it’s time to sharpen the ol knives. ;)

  3. 3

    Amy — March 7, 2009 @ 6:35 pm

    I’ve noticed that when I have my contacts in I never cry. If I’m wearing my glasses…watch out for the water works!

    Good question on the FN chefs! The only time I have noticed that someone may have been affected by the onions on FN was Ina. She was cutting onions, then it cut away, and when it returned she was all weepy looking.

    Hope you start feeling better!

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:34 pm

      Contacts? *smacks head* The one time I regret getting Lasix!! haha. I think I saw that episode of Ina Garten. Darn editting! Makes the rest of us think that food network chefs are super human when they aren’t! ;)

  4. 4

    Steph — March 7, 2009 @ 7:21 pm

    I’m a crier too.. I don’t even need onions for that..haha

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:35 pm

      I hear ya. I am a very sensitive emotional person. I cry at movies… alot.

  5. 5

    zebe912 — March 7, 2009 @ 8:37 pm

    I know I used to tear up all the time, but I don’t anymore. I have better knives and I wear contacts full time, so perhaps that is why. It can’t just be that I have less potent onions!

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:36 pm

      I am sure your onions are fresh! I have very sensitive eyes or my knives need sharpening.. or both?

  6. 6

    Alyssa — March 7, 2009 @ 8:53 pm

    I was watching “Good Eats” of Food Network one day and Alton Brown was saying something about there was a special way to cut the onion so that the stuff that makes your eyes water doesn’t get to you. Maybe he taught all his TV show friends his secret. ;)

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:37 pm

      Ooohh I need to find that AB episode then. Share the secret with the amateurs, Alton!!

  7. 7

    Quynh — March 7, 2009 @ 9:16 pm

    I’m not much of a crier but I heard that placing a lit candle next to you as you chop the onion helps… or perhaps some Onion Goggles will do the trick! Hope you get well soon :)

    • CB replied: — March 7th, 2009 @ 10:41 pm

      Candle? Really? Is the sulphur like oxygen and the fire feeds on it? LOL @ onion googles! Maybe I could borrow the welding mask from work huh?

  8. 8

    Joanna — March 8, 2009 @ 10:22 am

    I have found that if you keep the onions refrigerated (as others mentioned) and put some apple cider vinegar on the chopping block before you cut them, it works miracles, and you cannot taste the vinegar when you cook or eat them. Learned from my mommy. They know best.

    • CB replied: — March 8th, 2009 @ 10:35 am

      Yeah my onions are always refrigerated. Aren’t you suppose to refrigerate? Apple cider vinegar huh? I have some in my pantry. I’ll totally have to try that trick! Thanks Joanna’s mommy!

  9. 9

    pinkstripes — March 8, 2009 @ 5:11 pm

    Get well soon!

    I totally cry too and I usually am wearing my glasses and not my contacts and I become blind because the tears muss up my glasses. It’s not a good scene.

    • CB replied: — March 8th, 2009 @ 5:38 pm

      I definitely don’t miss wearing glasses. I use to hate when they got fogged up! haha. Thanks for well wishes.

  10. 10

    saoirsediarmuid — March 8, 2009 @ 9:24 pm

    This sounds really weird but it works. Place a toothpick between your teeth on the back molars, and clamp down firmly on it while cutting the onions. Don’t chew it, hold it there tightly with your teeth.

    • CB replied: — March 9th, 2009 @ 6:49 am

      That sounds totally weird but I’d try anything if it works! I wonder what holding a toothpick in your teeth actually does about the odors hitting your eyes? Human body is an amazing thing.

  11. 11

    Natalie — March 9, 2009 @ 5:42 am

    Oddly enough, I don’t cry when I cut onions.. not even for long periods of time, french-onion-soup style. My husband will be in another room in the house tearing up, but it doesn’t affect me at all. I usually make sure the cut side is down on the cutting board, but I don’t think I do anything special… maybe it’s genetic?

    • CB replied: — March 9th, 2009 @ 6:50 am

      Man good genes. I do cut side down too. I need anti-onion crying genes.

  12. 12

    stephchows — March 9, 2009 @ 7:58 am

    Im a TOTAL crier… I was a competitive swimmer from age 7 through high school… so I have many a pair of goggles laying around… and YES I wear them when I cut onions. I look like an idiot, but at least I’m not crying :D lol. Oh and the sticking them in the fridge for a bit before cutting does help :) But come on swim goggles in the kitchen… WAY more fun :D

    • CB replied: — March 9th, 2009 @ 5:01 pm

      You wear goggles to cut onions? Must post picture on your blog please! haha. I have some swim goggles back in my closet somewhere. Maybe I’ll have to try it out. If anything, my hubs will get a kick out of it.

  13. 13

    Alanna — March 9, 2009 @ 2:52 pm

    I’m a crier too! I’ve heard the gum thing….and I’ve also heard that sticking your head in the freezer helps reduce the tearing. (Of course, that’s only a temporary fix!)

    • CB replied: — March 9th, 2009 @ 5:02 pm

      I tried the gum thing. It didn’t work for me. Maybe I’ll try to stick my head in the freezer next time. The things I do for onions… LOL

  14. 14

    Girl — March 9, 2009 @ 10:00 pm

    Oh Me too!!!! I tried to breath through my nose, it helps some but not very much = ) You seriously wear goggles…. I have not done that yet, but I bet I would if I was working with more than two onions = )

    • CB replied: — March 10th, 2009 @ 9:23 pm

      I don’t wear goggles! Steph (see above comment) wears googles. But I am not above trying… anything to stop the stinging onion tears!

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