Cook For Julia ~ Soupe à L'oignon

This is my invariable advise to people: Learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun. ~ Julia Child

Julia Child would have been 100 years old today. It is time to celebrate! What can possibly be said about the marvelous Julia Child? She is an inspiration and not just for her no nonsense, what the hell approach to cooking. But for her zest for life, her intellect and her charm. Her autobiography, My Life in France, is one of my top five favorite books. I am also the proud owner of the beautiful Mastering the Art of French Cooking that she wrote with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. Today I have chosen to honor Julia with one of my favorite recipes of hers for French onion soup.

I have a passion for onion soup and Julia's recipe was the first I ever tried. Soupe à L'oignon is bliss. Julia warns you that from start to finish the process is around two and a half hours - I've managed to bang it out in about one and a half, which seems like a long time, but it's so worth it. On a weekend day when you're putzing around in your cozies, perhaps the weather is cold, this soup is easy to make. It doesn't need constant supervision so you can do other things while checking the soup here and there.

Onion soup is simple and the process amazing, the onions are fully the star of the show and boy do they shine. They are cooked to a golden perfection, all the while building a beautiful fond on the bottom of the pot, which you can see in the above photo. Stock and wine are added to create a luscious mix of meaty-ness and onion flavor. Thickened with a bit of flour, the soup becomes smooth and rich, just aching to be adorned with crusty bread and a sharp, salty cheese.

As Julia would say, Bon Appetit!