Allergic to Garlic and Onions?

[Attjack]

I have some friends from the neighborhood that like to come to visit frequently. But I struggle to feed them because they are both apparently allergic to garlic and pretty sensitive to onions as well. There's very little that I cook that doesn't use garlic or onions. I'm curious if anyone else has encountered people who can't stomach garlic and onions.

[Mosca]

Mrs Mosca is okay with garlic, but can’t eat onions or tomatoes, even though she loves both.

Make what you normally make, but leave out garlic and onions. Remember, you’re cooking for THEM; they’ll love it, they’re used to things tasting like that. Sure, those dishes taste unfinished to us, but they’re still going to like it.

For example: you make a red tomato sauce that is FANTASTIC. Everyone raves about it! But you use anchovies in it. I GUARANTEE YOU that I will be able to taste those anchovies. I’ll eat a couple bites to be polite, of course, then make an excuse to not eat the rest of it. But if you’d made it without the anchovies, I’d probably love it!

[Attjack]

This is good advice.

[Mosca]

I just remembered, I have a friend who can’t stand onions. He makes a potato salad without onions that is simply fantastic. It doesn’t need them. I personally think it would be better with onions, but that’s not the point, the point is, it’s excellent all on its own. (Super creamy, lots of mayo and eggs. Sweet relish.)

[Jerod Broussard]

I chose to be allergic to onions growing up. Raw onions in tuna fish....geeeez.

Never knew anyone to be actually allergic to either of those.

[Spinaker]

I am not sure I could go on living if I was allergic to either.

[STEbbq]

Yeah, with an ingredient that common, I’d follow Mosca ‘s advice. And perhaps avoid something that has the ingredients as part of the title like “triple garlic ribs” or whatever.

[Attjack]

Yeah, they said if it wasn't too much they could get away with it. I explained that when I follow a recipe that calls for garlic I double it. That didn't seem to be very comforting to them.

[RonB]

I have a close friend that can't eat raw onions, but cooked onions are OK.

[Attjack]

They both said shallots were an onion they could tolerate.

[Richard Chrz]

So, I am able to eat them, but, many dr.’s would point to a list of food that people with lupus should not eat, published by John’s Hopkins, I’m assuming other auto immune system irregularities likely have similar. But to avoid onion, garlic, and others, as they can trigger an immune response.

[Attjack]

Good point about autoimmune disorders. But as far as I know it doesn't apply to them.

[JeffJ]

I can't stand raw onions but like them when they are cooked. Attjack Can you substitute garlic and onion powder instead of the real thing?

[Attjack]

No, they talked about that too so that's out. I have heard of more people not liking onions and in particular raw onions so I guess that didn't surprise me. It's not that the don't like the taste but that it makes them run to the bathroom.

[Donw]

My wife has gastroparesis. It is not pretty if she accidentally consumes any onions or related vegetables.

[bbqLuv]

Alliums of all kinds should be avoided is my guess.

[Attjack]

No, shallots are okay with them.

[rickgregory]

I mean, Mosca nailed it in one. Cook without what they're allergic to. I don't know them of course and everyone is different but I'd also not joke about it with the, e.g. "I *think* I remembered to not add garlic" since some people are dicks, will say they removed stuff like this and then didn't. You have an easy out, of course - just use shallots if they're fine with those.

NOW... While I'll avoid stuff people are really allergic to, I'm not going to twist myself into knots over various likes and dislikes. IF it's easy, of course I'll avoid it. For example, a friend of mine hates beets. I'm ok with them but because I know he dislikes them intensely I'd never put them in a dish.

But that's easy. If it wasn't an allergy to onions, I'd be a little leery of working about a mere dislike if it was to a core ingredient that's common in many dishes. . At some point, people need to deal with their own dislikes and either broaden their palates or admit that a side-effect of them is a narrower social life.

[Mosca]

2) I don’t put stuff in without telling. That’s an act of dominance. And I don’t insist on, “Try it, you’ll like it… what’s wrong with you?” I’ve had enough people do that to me with seafood. (I wish I liked it, these would be twice as much great stuff to eat.)

I make things where I can add my own onions and tomatoes later. I make Caprese as half tomatoes, half roasted red peppers. It’s not a problem to take 1/4 of the potato salad out before adding onions. It just isn’t.

[Attjack]

I know they would like for me to cook them a stir fry with my new wok setup. I don't think I've cooked anything so far in that setup that didn't call for garlic. Maybe tonight I'll look through the book I'm cooking through for a non-garlic dish But I'm okay just omitting it as Mosca suggested and I'm sure it'll still taste good. But it will feel blasphemous to a garlic lover like me.

[Mosca]

Oh, you’re damn right it feels blasphemous. There’s no getting around it. I don’t bother to make Beef Stroganoff any more because it has to have onions… let alone French onion soup! And we used to have pierogies once a month or so, boiled and then sautéed with onions in butter. Now it’s every 6 months, and Mrs will take just the smallest bit of onion. (Keep in mind, she loves onions but not what they do to her.)

[JeffJ]

Attjack What about leeks or scallions?

[Attjack]

Good question I'll find out.

[Mosca]

With Mrs Mosca, leeks are okay, and so are chives, but scallions and shallots are not.

[captainlee]

Garlic is fine but i have to watch onions. Only a taste. Red onions are definitely a no no.

[Dan Deter]

Back when I was teaching week long courses I had a student who was deathly (as in anaphylactic shock allergic) to onions. It made going out to lunch that week interesting. He's the only one I've run into like that so far.

[fzxdoc]

Maybe they have some favorite recipes they can share with you, that you can do one of your amazing riffs on, boosting the umami. Everyone loves a personal favorite dish that they didn't have to cook themselves.

Just a thought.

Kathryn