Over the years, a burnt steak or fallen soufflé have been known to cause a tear or two in my kitchen. Nothing gets my waterworks flowing more often, though, than the pesky (but oh-so-tasty) onion.

The eye-irritating enzyme released by onions is concentrated right in the onion's core. While this is a great bit of information I picked up years ago, it still remains nearly impossible for me to avoid bursting into a good cry every time I begin to dice. To date, the best way I've found to avoid it is to delegate the job to someone else!

My family is on to me, though, so I'm on the hunt for some tried-and-true methods for protecting my eyes from onion irritants. Member Jan Mullikin recently suggested an interesting method while preparing her Cream of Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Soup at the Just A Pinch Blue Ribbon Showcase. She simply puts a damp paper towel in her mouth before making the first cut! Has anyone else tried this with any success? Rumor has it that a slice of bread will work in a pinch as well.

Let me know your thoughts, suggestions or shots in the dark! I'm ready to try it all...