ONIONS

There are big white onions , brown onion bulbs , red onion bulbs , purple onion bulbs .
Slender tubers with long green leaves incorrectly called shallots , they are in fact spring onions .
Shallots are brown tubers whose tops have died .
The question I  am most asked about onions ....is why do onions make our eyes water .?
Our eyes water because of the fumes of cysteine, a crystalline amino acid that becomes sulphuric acid in the eyes , which in turn induces the tears to wash it out .
Now forget all the myths ..........cutting onions under running water , is impractical .
Holding a spoon in the mouth or a piece of cut apple or potato .......does not work either .
People who wear glasses have a slight advantage .
Brown onions are best for stock , cut the onions into quarters leaving the skin on , this induces a golden colour and intensified taste .
Everyone wants to know the correct way to chop an onion finely .
It is easy if 1 centimetre of the root base is left to hold the onion together when the onion is peeled .
then slice off a longitudinal slice to give the onion a base to sit on .
Using a sharp knife , slice the onion horizontally and then vertically and there you have it chopped onions .
 I love cooking with them they  fill the kitchen with warmth and promise