Few persons know how to chop onions properly. In the first place, all the dry skin must be removed, then a thin slice off the top and bottom, or they will be bitter, then cut them into thin slices, dividing the onion, and cut crossways to form dice. If a very slight flavour is required, and the onion is strong, like in the north of England, for it must be remembered that the further north you go, the stronger the flavour of the root, and if French receipt books are exactly copied, it is no wonder that complaints are made of the preponderance of the flavour of the onion; in which case, when chopped, put them in the corner of a napkin or cloth, wash them in water, squeeze them dry, then put them back on the board, and chop finer; or sometimes only rubbing the pan or the meat with the onion is quite sufficient.