French Onion Soup

Is there anything better on a chilly winter day than a bowl of hearty French Onion Soup topped with melty cheese?

I have a love/hate relationship with winter. I hate being cold. I hate walking the dogs on icy sidewalks. I hate driving in the snow. I hate how little daylight there is in winter.

But at the same time, I'd hate to live in a place that didn't have winter. I love being home on a snow day, watching the flakes fall with a cup of hot cocoa, and a pot of soup simmering on the stove.

When my brother and I would come inside from playing in the snow, my parents would make us each a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of soup: chicken noodle for me; creamy tomato for my brother.

I'm picky when it comes to soup. I usually prefer creamy soup, unless it's tomato soup. Chicken noodle is one exception; French onion soup is the other. Maybe it's the layer of gooey, melty cheese on top.

Good French onion soup is based on well-caramelized onions. Caramelizing onions (breaking down the sugars in the onions to produce a sweeter flavor) takes time; you can't rush the process. Some try to cheat by adding sugar to the onions as they cook, but I don't like the flavor that gives to the soup overall.

This recipe can be made ahead of time, through Step 7, then cooled to room temperature and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup to about simmering before proceeding with Step 8.

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Adapted from Food & Wine

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