We’re in the throes of a rainy day here on the Cape. Not a mere shower; serious rain. No complaints here. It’s been a dry season, and all things green have been crying out for moisture.

Needed rain outside is one thing. The flood of tears that usually accompanies spiralizing onions is another thing entirely.

I spent the morning prepping ingredients for tomorrow’s class at Highfield. Concerned that I might be choking the attendees with onion fumes as I merrily twirled an onion into perfect strands, I decided to do a little research on techniques to avoid tears from onion fumes.

I think that I may have found a winner. At least it worked for me today. Martha Stewart has stated that cutting an onion next to a flame (gas stove, or a candle) will prevent the fumes from attacking your eyes. What can I say? I believe Martha, so I tried it. I combined her technique with another that I had heard about. Many sources claim that keeping the root end intact limits the spread of fumes.

Well, I set up the spiralizer next to my gas stove and lit one of the burners. Two large onions later and no tears. It’s a good thing, as Martha is fond of saying.