Comments on Bon Appétempt: Onion Soup, Madeira, and Gruyère Toasts

I always caramalize my onions for soup. It could a...

2011-12-07T09:49:11.504-08:00

I always caramalize my onions for soup. It could also be he had a darker stock.

Okay, other folks have weighed in on this but, yea...

2011-11-21T22:49:32.358-08:00

Okay, other folks have weighed in on this but, yeah, onion soup is usually made with beef stock! But you can always blame an over-processed photo/lighting conditions/food stylists sneaking in drops of brown food coloring - one never knows! Blame them! I heart french onion soup and your morning ritual.

Amelia, I made a french onion soup recently from G...

2011-11-19T10:24:22.951-08:00

Amelia, I made a french onion soup recently from Gourmet magazine. It got very dark, but I used beef broth, maybe that is the difference. Yours look delicious! How comforting is this soup!

@megan taylor: doesn't count!! (j/k) @everyon...

2011-11-17T15:46:42.838-08:00

@megan taylor: doesn't count!!
(j/k)

@everyone who has chimed in re: the color. Thanks, again! Perhaps with the bones from my Thanksgiving turkey, I will try this again with homemade chicken stock and cook the onions just a tad bit longer... could be fun to revisit.

The reason theres is probably darker is because th...

2011-11-17T13:22:33.498-08:00

The reason theres is probably darker is because they let the flour in the roux develop longer, he let the flour go beyond the blond stage... try that next time!! happy cooking!

I totally made a version of this soup last year. ...

2011-11-17T09:50:58.117-08:00

I totally made a version of this soup last year. Madeira and all (well, sans gratin). Does that count? Very festive and cozy...

Your love of Tender pushed me over the edge, just ...

2011-11-16T07:51:48.308-08:00

Your love of Tender pushed me over the edge, just bought the cookbook and can't wait to start attempting! I'm going for the onion soup on Saturday and will let you know how the color works out. My guess is it's a combo of what people are saying here, his own darker stock, carmelized onions and probably just a darker photo?? Thanks as always Amelia!!!!
-Jess

When I've made onion soup in the past it has b...

2011-11-15T22:22:24.030-08:00

When I've made onion soup in the past it has been closer to the color of the cookbook. I usually beef stock and caramelize the onions more than yours have been done. If I recall I have cooked the onions for more like 40 minutes, starting with a pot full and cooking them down to around 25%.

All I can really say is YUMMMM!!!!. I just love a...

2011-11-15T20:39:10.115-08:00

All I can really say is YUMMMM!!!!. I just love a good onion soup. Susan Cooper

Who cares about the color when the soup looks THAT...

2011-11-15T17:55:48.806-08:00

Who cares about the color when the soup looks THAT delicious!?!

The color question - my take. It may be that the ...

2011-11-15T12:22:36.932-08:00

The color question - my take. It may be that the onions went slightly past the stage he says making them a little more brown. Or it could be that the chicken stock he uses is darker. If he makes his own chicken stock and browns the chicken more, his stock would then come out darker - which may make the soup darker. I don't believe he is lying to you dear. His pictures may be slightly darker than yours as well.

Thanks Amelia. I am doing a lot of blogging latel...

2011-11-15T07:33:56.806-08:00

Thanks Amelia. I am doing a lot of blogging lately for the folks at Good Apps and this looks like it will be some good brain food which is much needed for these app reviews I do. Thanks!!

With the cold weather coming in, I bet this will b...

2011-11-14T23:55:37.566-08:00

With the cold weather coming in, I bet this will become one of our winter staples!

I'm a huge fan of everything you make!

Cheers,
Sandy
http://tinytinyfork.com/

@Eggton & @Anonymous: But why would Nigel lie ...

2011-11-14T17:32:46.891-08:00

@Eggton & @Anonymous: But why would Nigel lie to me?? After all we've been through!!

;)

seriously though, I think you're both right.

IK the recipe says otherwise, but Tender's loo...

2011-11-14T16:50:28.955-08:00

IK the recipe says otherwise, but Tender's looks a lot like beef stock. Just sayin'

Ooooh. I really want a bowl. I might be making thi...

2011-11-14T16:31:04.604-08:00

Ooooh. I really want a bowl. I might be making this very, very soon. Bravo on the trifecta!

Hmmm, maybe---just maybe--- in the photographed ve...

2011-11-14T16:22:07.132-08:00

Hmmm, maybe---just maybe--- in the photographed version of Nigel's it was actually beef stock, not chicken? Because the onions aren't supposed to caramelize, so it's probably not that. My onion soup last week was a deep brown because I used beef stock, I believe. But yours looks right tasty. So glad you posted it! I have decided that having left-over gruyere in the house is one of the best things about french onion soup.

Is it wrong that when I read the title of the post...

2011-11-14T14:19:04.705-08:00

Is it wrong that when I read the title of the post, I felt like the word "Madeira" was a reference to me? I'm so self-absorbed.

That soup was GOOD and I might make it soon! So honored that I got to eat it!!!!!!!

Ditto Matt. Must be caramelized. I highly doubt ...

2011-11-14T12:08:48.602-08:00

Ditto Matt. Must be caramelized. I highly doubt the wine would make the difference. That color would seem to impart from burnt sugar (onions) of some kind. I always figured onion soup was done with caramelized onions. Interesting....

amelia! hi! i love cheesy onion soup and this on...

2011-11-14T11:06:18.507-08:00

amelia! hi! i love cheesy onion soup and this one looks divine. i actually used to hate onions when i was growing up and my favorite soup was broccoli and cheese from the black-eyed-pea restaurant in texas. super southern, cheesy, majorly high in calories, and probably somewhat processed.

BUT, onion soup stole my heart about or 7 years ago. thanks for this delightful recipe!

xo

ALSO, sorry. forgot! @Matt: I think you're rig...

2011-11-14T09:59:55.461-08:00

ALSO, sorry. forgot!
@Matt: I think you're right. Though the directions clearly state to simmer the onions for 25 minutes, without letting them "color," from Nigel's picture, it seems pretty clear that his onions were cooked down much more than mine were!

@themoveablefeasts I wish I could say I write for ...

2011-11-14T09:34:56.582-08:00

@themoveablefeasts I wish I could say I write for a living, but alas, not really. Or rather, I couldn't "live" off of what I make from writing. I've written a novel (hasn't been published) and am currently working on an exciting new project! Hopefully more details on this later.

@Anne Zimmerman: Does the fact that it's 9:30am right now and what I'm doing is writing comment responses answer your question? I write, with Internet breaks, for most of the morning... In other words, I would not recommend signing up for my boot camp!! :)

First of all, the bit about not turning on the hea...

2011-11-14T09:14:55.464-08:00

First of all, the bit about not turning on the heat, wrapping yourself in a blanket and writing is SO M.F.K. Fisher.
Second, you write from 6:30 AM till 11? I need to come do a writing boot camp with you. Seriously, I'm inspired.

Perhaps his onions were almost caramlized?

2011-11-14T08:57:36.885-08:00

Perhaps his onions were almost caramlized?

whoa! coziness! now i know what to do with my hea...

2011-11-14T08:23:54.925-08:00

whoa! coziness! now i know what to do with my heart shape ramekins.

ps: a wool blanket means,,, a carrot?? ;)