“how to prevent onions from making you cry”
1. chill the onions in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before peeling or chopping them. sulfuric vapors move slower in the cold: think about how garbage smells worse during hot weather.
2. leave the onion root intact until the last possible minute to prevent irritants from escaping into the air. the root contains the largest concentration of sulfuric compounds in an onion.
3. chop or cut the onion with a sharp knife. fast, clean slicing puts less pressure on the onion tissue and minimizes the release of sulfuric compounds. a sharp knife also allows you to expedite your slicing and reduces your exposure to the onion fumes.
4. open a window or light a scented candle close to your chopping station. the hot flame of a candle attracts tear-causing vapor and reduces the amount of vapor circulating in the air.
imagine that these instructions are intended to be included as a sidebar to a recipe using onions. what can be done to make these instructions more concise?