Swiss cheese is traditional when we make FOS, so that would be a good combo. You might also try some grated Parm. in with the Gruyere. Can't go wrong with FOS on a cold day! NancyLouise

LynnNM, I made onion soup with your recipe and served it at a dinner party last night. It got rave reviews all around. I didn't need swim goggles. My 44 year old Oster Regency mixer/blender/food processor/meat grinder quickly cut the onions into perfect thin slices. Not a tear was shed. Thanks for the recipe. In return here is another soup recipe that I make that everyone loves Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone Soup Ingredients: Good olive oil 4 ounces pancetta, ½-inch-diced 1½ cups chopped yellow onions 2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots) 2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks) 2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash 1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi 6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves 1/2 cup good dry white wine 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto Garlic Bruschetta (see recipe) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot. Garlic Bruschetta 1 baguette Good olive oil 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic. Here it is as a work in progress from when I made it in November This picture is from Ina Garten's website

Hi Dave, I'm interested in your comments about the book not being a Ball publication and not meeting USDA guidelines. How can they do that??? Nowhere does it say anything about it being a Canadian book; in fact, it was printed in the US and is a Time, Inc. book. Also, the welcome says, in part, the following: "Since 1884, the Ball name has been recognized as the most reliable authority in home food preservation and is associated with the science, tools, knowledge, and tried, true, and safe recipes that help home cooks preserve and savor the fresh goodness of their kitchen gardens year after year. At the Fresh Preserving Test Kitchen, we take our trusted role very seriously and have developed precise and documentable testing standards for all of our recipes to ensure the safety of each and every one. We've worked closely with the engineers on The Jarden Home Brands Quality Assurance Team in Muncie, Indiana, to ensure every recipe is not only wholesome and delicious but also as safe as possible." All this, along with the title, had me thinking it used Ball test kitchens in the US and tested under USDA guidelines. Geez!!!! How can I tell if a recipe is or, more importantly, ISN'T safe?? Okay, that's a rhetorical question (unless someone has an answer). It's just frustrating that they are selling the book as one thing and it's another. Okay, I'll stop spouting now. :) Kathy

I would love to have you for dinner. All of you. I don’t know if that NYT recipe is good. Looks okay. I dont know nwhat recipes for FOS (French Onion Soup) I.ve ued before. I rarely make it because it wants butterand cheese (yum!) and I am not supposed to be eating that stuff. Usually I just cook ad hoc. Carmelized yellow onions in butter. Set aside. Beef brorh (the better quality, the better the soup. I’ve even used canned. This time I made a broth from the ribs and cartilage and fat from a prime rib roast after we had eaten the good part from it. The roast was seasoned with garlic and maybe rosemary maybe time I don’t remember and black pepper. I combined all the stuff that was not lean medium rare prime rib – – that is I cook the ribs the cartilage, the fat, anything of course pan drippings. I simmered that for about 3 hours Until the bones were clean. Then I let it cool and put it in the refrigerator overnight because I was tired. The next day but that was solidified and I could easily remove that with a slotted ladle and I said that aside for birds. I discarded the very clean bones. I filtered the rest to remove bits of gristle, meat and so on. I set that aside from my opossum. Then I again filtered the broth, this time with a very fine mesh sieve like flat ladle (a Chinese kitchen tool, widely available). That left clear, flavorful broth (~ 3.5 quarts). Usually, sans recipe, I combine the caramelized onions with the hot broth and season to taste — salt and pepper if needed, some dry sherry (drinking sherry, never cooking sherry), I forgot what else, if anything. I get some ovenproof bowls and plates ready. I grate some aged Gruyère (or aged Swiss or Jarlsberg). I turn on the broiler with rack positioned about 8 or 10 inches away. I put the hoy onion soup in the bowl, put a slice of toasted good country French bread or baguette (0r something more interesting) atop the soup (moving quickly), then put maybe 1/4 Cup of the grated cheese atp the toast and put beneath the broiler for a minute or two — until the cheese is melted. Done, ready to eat. Careful not to burn mouth on the hot cheese and soup. I have not even finished reading that NYT circa 1954 recipe. I only assume it’s good. I have the NYT cookbook but it’s hiding. I will copypasta the one I found online. You’ll likely be able to get it because I didn’t have to enter any password. We subscribe, but I’ve only been reading available news from my Apple feed and a few other links. See if you can get the link without any paywall problem. Sometimes, I quickly select the “Reader view” and then I can print that out or copypasto to a temporary Notes page. Link for nyt French Onion Soup: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017256-french-onion-soup ETA From readers good comments, these two notes: Gonzalo2 years ago 🍷 1 Tbsp of Sherry is a very small amount, it won't add any significant flavour. Also, if Sherry boils for a long time, it completely loses its aroma. I suggest adding 2 tbsp on each individual soup dish just before broiling (that's the way people have fancy consomme in Madrid). Joanne3 years ago — Toast bread first.