Onion Tears

I spent last Christmas break eating smoked salmon with capers, flying fish eggs, and LOTS of onions. Actually, this dish probably comprises about 45% of my diet during any given break spent back home.

At one point of my life, I discovered smoked salmon. I didn't like it too much before I was told to eat it with capers and onions because it smelled like, well, fish. Some might wonder why I wouldn't eat fish that smells like fish when I have an almost sexual desire towards sushi. If your sushi smells like fish, that's not fresh, honey. But smoked salmon is smoked and being spoiled is most likely out of question. It was securely preserved in the refrigerator for my possessed hand to reach out and grab anytime I wanted to. My! I say it possessed me.

Then my addiction started to move to the caper and onion that I ate with salmon. In fact, smoked salmon does not have any taste unless texture is a taste. The taste itself is the same with only capers, onions, and fish eggs. I started to eliminate salmon from my dishes since it wasn't always ready to eat (Mom always put salmon in the freezer). I pulled out capers and onions while waiting for the salmon to melt. I would stuff my mouth with onions and capers and find myself with no more to garnish with the salmon when it's finally good to eat. I ate cold diced onions like they're apples. I smelled like onion all day (which I do at school too anyway). You can't avoid it if you live in Asia, but I was particularly bad.

So that's how I came to love onion. Please excuse me when I smell like onions or take half the onions in the grill to put in my chicken sandwich.