Goodbye Onion Tears!

I'm taking a break today from recipe posting, as we just returned from vacation and need to prepare for Thanksgiving! Yahoo.

Speaking of which, with Thanksgiving upon us, there are a lot of onions out there, ready to be chopped. I, for one, hate the sting of onion fumes. I tear up and look like a raccoon within seconds.

I was reading a post from another food blogger (And darn it, I can't remember where/who now! If you read this post too, please let me know, as I'd like to give credit and link back) about her remedy: have a candle lit very close to your cutting board, while chopping the onion. Supposedly, it burns away the sulphuric fumes of the onion. Interesting. Has anyone ever tried this?

My mom told me that by not cutting the root end, you can prevent tears. Never worked.

I got a little curious (ok, bored), and decided to look up a few other old wives tales for onion tear prevention. Here are a few of the ideas out there:

- Have running water next to your cutting board while chopping onions
- Before cutting, apply cooking oil to your knife
- Stick a toothpick in your mouth while you cut the onion (Seriously? Someone please try this!)
- Keep your mouth shut and don't talk (Remember to breath, please)
- Place onion in the freezer for an hour before cutting
- Wear contact lenses (Apparently, this is one of the few times people with good vision get screwed)
- Peel the onion first under cool running water
- Chew gum
- Hold a piece of bread in your mouth (The image alone made me laugh)

And drum roll... my favorite recommendation:

- Hold a match or incense stick in your mouth (red tip out) while you cut the onion and your eyes won't tear up at all. (Lit or unlit? Be sure to cut quickly!)

I'll be trying the gum chewing method, and perhaps the candle. Hey, can't hurt.

Previously posted, favorite recipes:
- Fried Rice with Tofu
- Chickpea and Corn Fritters with Chipotle Salsa
- Enchiladas

Guten appetit!

Seasonal Recipe Cooking

Currently, I am on vacation. I may be cooking, but we'll see if I have access to upload and blog while away!

In the meantime, I wanted to pass along a great website for Seasonal Cooking. In the US, we're somewhat spoiled with the availability of food. It's not so in other parts of the world.

And even if the food is available, the Slow Food movement and buying local is becoming ever more important... environmentally and economically.

You might already buy local and cook more seasonal recipes. If so, awesome! This may be another resource to add to your arsenal.

For those who want to edge their way into cooking more seasonally, Seasonal Recipes will be a handy resource for you. It's very easy to use, has reviewers ratings and feedback, and updates automatically by season.

So go check them out... you might find something to make for a fall family breakfast, or for the grand family Thanksgiving. They offer seasonal, as well as holiday, recipes.

SeasonalRecipes.com

Here are a couple recipes that looked good to me:
- Curried Squash Soup
- Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing
- Pumpkin Waffles

Guten appetit!

Buttermilk Substitute

German confession: I don't know the word for 'buttermilk'. Fat free milk is 'fettarm milch'. But how often do you buy buttermilk?? Maybe often, if you're a big baker. Which I'm not (yet).

However, this past week was my baking bonanza! I know what you're thinking... I've said I'm not a baker in previous posts. I'm not, but I'm working on getting better. Plus, this was for a good cause, so I bucked up and did it.

I made 2 sets of cupcakes and 1 cookie recipe, all in one day. ONE DAY, people. I was freaking pooped by the end. But it was worth it. (more info and the recipes for the cupcakes later this week)

Alas, 1 of my cupcake recipes called for buttermilk. Since I don't know the German word for buttermilk, and I only needed 1 cup (Are you supposed to buy a whole carton? Seems like a lot of waste if you don't bake often), I used a standard buttermilk substitute recipe. I've used it before, and it works like a charm.

Buttermilk Substitute

1 cup regular milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix the two ingredients and let it sit for 5 minutes. Use in recipe as directed.

Easy peasy.

Guten appetit!