European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thai food it burning a path in America traditional Way. A fila photo not Lamb Tor a different Way of entertaining step by step by Pierre Franey slicing without tears whenever i give cooking demonstrations around the country students in the class ask me How manage to chop onions and shallots so quickly an evenly. There Are two answers really 50 years of practice and knowing the proper technique. Random slashing at an onion with a knife will not Only yield uneven results big chunks that Cook More slowly than smaller ones but it will also make your eyes tear. The tears Are triggered by crushing the onion rather than slicing it. Crushing releases volatile sub stances in the cells that Combine to form sul uric acid. Using a Sharp 10-Inch chef s knife properly will minimize tearing. The four step technique outlined Here is the easiest and most precise Way to slice onions shallots and even garlic cloves. Peel the onion and slice off a Small piece of Che Stem end and the Root end. Stand the onion upright on a Cut Ting Board Stem Side Down. Slice through the Middle Lengthwise. Lay the onion on the Board Cut Side Down with the Stem end on the led if you Are right handed. If you Are left handed place the Stem end on the right. Holding the Stem end slice the onion As thinly As desired starting with your knife tip just in front of the Stem and moving away from the Stem to the other end of the onion from left to right. Leave the Stem intact this will hold the onion to Gether. Place the knife at the end of the onion that is opposite the Stem with the Blade horizontal Flat to the cutting Board. Pinching the onion together with the free hand carefully run the knife toward the Stem. Make four evenly spaced slices moving from top to Bottom stopping just Short of the Stem. Go Back to the Root end of the onion with the knife still pinching the onion together with the free hand. Turn the knife Back to the regular cutting Posi Tion perpendicular to the. , carefully slice the onion As thinly As possible All the Way to the Stem. Discard the Stem. New York times the stars and stripes Page 15