I may try that with the garlic next time. Though truth be told, peeling them is usually pretty easy, as long as I have my dull paring knife.

I don't think I'll be doing much more cooking at Q's house. He doesn't seem to care for the kind of food (vegan) I cook anymore. Even though he used to eat it, and seemed to enjoy it, when he lived at my place.

The last cucumber salad I made came closest to my mom's version. After reading your comment, I bought some small onions and shredded them into the salad. That was a few days after originally making the salad, after having poured most of the vinegar out of it, because it was too sour, and after having poured in some water as it was still too sour. Then I let it marinate a few days with the onion in, and then it tasted great. So from now on, I'll have to use onions, and use less vinegar.

I haven't ever had a beet salad. That sounds interesting.

I never thought about glass being bad for knives, or making them dull. But I'll still take glass over wood.