Cooking with Garlic/Onions ...

Owen

... I've discovered just how much I like Garlic and Onions after years of not eating either, but it's been 3 days since I cooked, and my fingers despite washing them dozens of times, still have a whiff that'd scare Dracula away. How do you get rid of the Garlic smell?

Also, I remember reading somewhere a while back that there's something you can do with onions to get rid of the whole smell/tears syndrome, any suggestions?

Dizzyblonde

To avoid watery eyes when chopping onions, make sure not to breathe in through your nose. If you breathe in through your mouth you'll be fine.

I use garlic a lot and never have a problem with the smell on my fingers. Maybe try washing with some sugar and liquid soap - it removes grease and dead skin so should work for smells.

Keith in cork

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

To avoid watery eyes when chopping onions, make sure not to breathe in through your nose. If you breathe in through your mouth you'll be fine.

Legend:D they say aswell if you chop onions with a tea spoon in yer mouth it stops the tears.......

Very simple. top and tail the onion, cut in half, remove skin, RUN UNDER WATER!!! cup the onion in your hand and it'll stay together so you can still chop/dice without it going to pieces. Theres 1000's of solutions out there that require thinking and effort while doing it to stop yourself crying, most of which, like above are madness. When you cut into the onion, the juices spray, feel it or not its landing on your face. by running under water your still being sprayed, but with no effect. Obviously spray is a stong word considering you'd be sprayed by a hose but you get the idea:p

For garlic, warm soapy water, and SCRUB your hands not just rinse. work up a lather and rub together. IF its something that bothers you and you use garlic regularly, get a 50p bottle of squeeze lemon juice, like we had for pancake tuesday, and when your rinsing your hands throw a small squeeze on.

brian ireland

ned78 wrote: »

... I've discovered just how much I like Garlic and Onions after years of not eating either, but it's been 3 days since I cooked, and my fingers despite washing them dozens of times, still have a whiff that'd scare Dracula away. How do you get rid of the Garlic smell?

Also, I remember reading somewhere a while back that there's something you can do with onions to get rid of the whole smell/tears syndrome, any suggestions?

Look in a shop that sell things for you kitchen. home store and more maybe. Ask for a stainless steel bar of soap. no joke! its a stainless steel shaped soap looking thing. You use this like normal soap and wash your hand. Garlic smell Gone!!!!!!

Ponster

stainless steel soap works very well. a splash of lemon juice helps also.

Keith in cork

brian ireland wrote: »

Look in a shop that sell things for you kitchen. home store and more maybe. Ask for a stainless steel bar of soap. no joke! its a stainless steel shaped soap looking thing. You use this like normal soap and wash your hand. Garlic smell Gone!!!!!!

Again, legend:D Wash your bloody hands propperly and there'll be no need for spending cash on silly gimmic's.

babyguinnessfan

The stainless steel 'bar of soap' really does work. I got one abroad so I don't know what shops sell them here. Otherwise, a stainless steel knife, spoon etc. will work. Just wash the knife or whatever under running cold water for about 20 seconds, rubbing your fingertips off it. Guarantee this will get rid of any rank garlic smells...

Thoie

babyguinnessfan wrote: »

The stainless steel 'bar of soap' really does work. I got one abroad so I don't know what shops sell them here. Otherwise, a stainless steel knife, spoon etc. will work. Just wash the knife or whatever under running cold water for about 20 seconds, rubbing your fingertips off it. Guarantee this will get rid of any rank garlic smells...

Alternatively, unless you have some weird sink, rub your hands on the taps.

babyguinnessfan

Thoie wrote: »

Alternatively, unless you have some weird sink, rub your hands on the taps.

Doh! Never thought of that...!

Owen

Cheers for all the tips guys, herself drinks lemon in her tea, so we always have the lemon bottle on hand

Keith in cork

Thoie wrote: »

Alternatively, unless you have some weird sink, rub your hands on the taps.

Ha i love it:D Another recession busting tip, brought to you by the members of boards.ie;)

@ned78, thats the best solution, NOT questioning your ability to wash the paws, but i use/peel/chop garlic 20+ times a day, and washing them well always works, a squeeze of lemon if your extremely sensitive to the smell. truth be told i squeeze lemon most of the time, garlic or not, leaves your hands nice and fresh.

Minder

Try a little olive oil on your fingers but be careful with a knife in your hand. Or just stop sniffing your fingers.

Sparks

Good Eats to the rescue again! (It's only 52 seconds )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU-gfFzC6Uw

Seaneh

Yeah, like that video said use a sharp knife is the best thing, beside a flame helps too, also if you do it beside running water it helps a lot.

As for garlic, like fish, never wash your hands with warm water after handling it or you cook the smell into your skin, lots of soap and cold water!

arse..biscuits

My eyes are very sensitive to onions, I tried all the tricks I'd heard of, chewing gum, spoon in mouth, breathing through mouth etc but nothing worked for me. Now I just cut the onions outdoors and problem solved.

Sparks

You could also wash your face but not dry it before cutting the onions; the sulphates bind with the water on your cheeks before they reach the water in your eyes. No sulphuric acid in the eyes = no tears.

Mr Magnolia

Wash your hands in cold water (not hot or warm) to remove the smell of garlic or onions.

Owen

I was driving around the ring of kerry with herself today, and we stopped off in the Avoca shop for lunch. Turns out they had the stainless steel soap, so I got that

Funnily enough, they were also selling goggles for cutting onions, but too much that!

The Sweeper

Just stand back a bit when you're cutting onions. I wear glasses so they don't bother me as much, but I've learned not to stand with my face over the chopping board.

Garlic, I've become very lazy lately (because the only fresh garlic I can buy in the shops is imported from China, so I won't buy it) and taken to using the refrigerated ready to use tubes of garlic paste (bizarrely made with non-imported garlic).

Das Kitty

I never really have an issue with tears. My knife is very sharp so doesn't cause any of the juices to become airborne.

I really like the stainless steel solution for onion-y fingers. Looking forward to trying it out.

rocknchef

rub a little olive oil on your fingers for the garlic smell, face a open window if you can when chopping onions. And for odours on your hands rinse first with cold water to get rid of odours then wash with warm water and lemon. this also works great with fish.

warm water opens the pores and the smell gets in to the pores.

or you could wear goggles and gloves:cool:

bonkey

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Garlic, I've become very lazy lately (because the only fresh garlic I can buy in the shops is imported from China, so I won't buy it) and taken to using the refrigerated ready to use tubes of garlic paste (bizarrely made with non-imported garlic).

Mad.

Over here, Barlauch (wild garlic) and fresh garlic (i.e. the skin hasn't dried to a "paper" texture yet) are both in season.

Fantastico.

On a related note...I've become a big fan of chopping rather than crushing garlic into my dishes now. Completely different flavour.

Heineken Helen

Seaneh wrote: »

Yeah, like that video said use a sharp knife is the best thing, beside a flame helps too, also if you do it beside running water it helps a lot.

As for garlic, like fish, never wash your hands with warm water after handling it or you cook the smell into your skin, lots of soap and cold water!

works for me every time although I use so much garlic it's probably permanently coming through my pores but nobody's said anything therefore ignorance is bliss

As for the onions... get someone else to chop them that's what I always do... I like onions but I don't think they're worth the trouble... so unless there's someone else able and willing I just leave them out

Sparks

Of course, there's always the cheat's answer to the onions...

Mr.David

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Garlic, I've become very lazy lately (because the only fresh garlic I can buy in the shops is imported from China, so I won't buy it) and taken to using the refrigerated ready to use tubes of garlic paste (bizarrely made with non-imported garlic).

Whats so bad about imported garlic? Its better than that sh*te you get in a tube anyway....

The Sweeper

Because I'm in Australia and we grow lots and lots of garlic here, so why would I buy a product with a few thousand food miles attached to it that comes from China?

Mr.David

Because its fresh and doesnt come in a tube?

rocknchef

Im in Ireland and i grow my own. then when i have an hour to spare I peel and chop and preserve in olive oil in an air tight container and keep in the fridge.

Alun

bonkey wrote: »

Over here, Barlauch (wild garlic) and fresh garlic (i.e. the skin hasn't dried to a "paper" texture yet) are both in season.

Loads of wild garlic here too at the moment ... free food

rocknchef

Alun wrote: »

Loads of wild garlic here too at the moment ... free food

I love wild garlic blended into soups at the last minute or finely sliced going through a nice buttery mash

Alun

rocknchef wrote: »

I love wild garlic blended into soups at the last minute or finely sliced going through a nice buttery mash

I made some wild garlic pesto last year which was quite nice. Just a standard pesto recipe except omit the 'normal' garlic and use the wild garlic leaves as a replacement for the basil. It's also nice in salads (in moderation) or wilted like spinach as a vegetable, or stuffed in fish like trout.

Depending on what you're using it for, be aware that the flavour gets more intense as it gets older and be a bit overpowering for some applications. best to pick the really young leaves early on if using for salads etc. The leaves get a bit tougher too towards the end of the season.

I usually get mine from the Glen of the Downs ... loads of it growing near the car park off the N11 there. Just follow your nose!