fire (supposedly catalyzes some reaction that prevents lachrymators from forming—it doesn’t work unless you are cutting your onion directly over or under the flame) Rinse the onion as you go (works OK, but wet hands and sharp knives don’t mix) Place a piece of bread on the cutting board (does absolutely nothing) Suck on an ice cube or chew a toothpick (I can’t even begin to fathom the rationale) Chill the onions in ice water for 10 minutes first (this works pretty well—the cold slows down enzymatic reactions) But of all the cures, there’s only one that’s really effective: just block your eyes If you’re a contact lens wearer, you’ve probably already noticed that onions don’t really bother you For the rest of you, ski goggles or swimming goggles are the way to go Plus, they make you look really cool Trust me Q: Is there any way to get rid of that onion odor? Let’s say you happen to have some extra-pungent onions (it happens to the best of us)—is there a way to tame them? I tried out a few different methods, from submerging them in cold water for times ranging from 10 minutes to 2 hours to chilling them to letting them air out on the counter Soaking the sliced onions in a container of cold water just led to onion-scented liquid in the container, without much of a decrease in the aroma in the onions themselves Perhaps if I’d used an unreasonably small amount of onion in an unreasonably large container, the water would have diluted it more efficiently Air-drying led to a milder aroma but also to dried-out onions and a papery texture The best method turned out to be the fastest and easiest: just rinse away all those extra-pungent compounds under running water after you slice the onions—and not just that, but warm water The speeds of chemical and physical reactions increase with temperature Using warm water causes onions to release their volatile compounds faster—about 45 seconds is enough to rid even the most pungent onions of their kick But doesn’t hot water turn the texture of an onion limp? No Even if you use very hot tap water, it generally comes out at around 140° to 150°F or so, while pectin, the main carbohydrate “glue” that holds plant cells together, doesn’t break down until around 183°F There are other bits of the onion that, given enough time, will begin to soften at hot-tapwater temperatures, but it takes far longer than the 45-second rinse needed Don’t worry, your onions are safe ... 140° to 150°F or so, while pectin, the main carbohydrate “glue” that holds plant cells together, doesn’t break down until around 183°F There are other bits of the onion that, given enough time,... after you slice the onions—and not just that, but warm water The speeds of chemical and physical reactions increase with temperature Using warm water causes onions to release their volatile compounds faster—about 45... to release their volatile compounds faster—about 45 seconds is enough to rid even the most pungent onions of their kick But doesn’t hot water turn the texture of an onion limp? No Even if you use very hot tap water,