First a disclaimer:
I have a very hard-working, intelligent husband. He puts in many hours each week doing his job and many more with our family. He’s a good man.
However, nobody’s perfect. David
is apparently allergic to household projects, not fun, creative household projects like chicken coops, but drudging tasks such as hanging ceiling fans.
Now, David
’s brother, John, great guy with a heart of gold, has been to visit us here at the pretend farm twice. He’s a good house guest, does the dishes even though I tell him not to, and provides an all-over good time, mostly due to his genial personality. He appreciates good food, in particular my French onion soup and the neighbor’s homemade tamales. And he does chores. During his first visit, he hung not one but two ceiling fans, one of which we had owned over a year. In fact, we brought it from San Diego
with us. This is indicative of how much David
hates chores.
Well, we bought another ceiling fan two months ago for Robert’s room, the only bedroom that does not have one. Poor Bear (Robert = Roe – bear) was complaining about how hot his room got in the afternoon. Despite this, the fan still sits on the trunk in his room, unopened, begging to be mounted. On a recent hot day, Robert looked longingly at this same box, and asked me, “Mom, can Uncle John come visit so he can hang my ceiling fan?”
For Uncle/ Brother John, here is the recipe you wanted, with not a small hope to see you in the near future, both for your shining company, and for your abilities, somehow lost to your dear brother.
French Onion Soup
5-6 extra large sweet onions (Walla Wallas are tres bon)
Olive oil
Butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp sugar
Beef broth to cover (I typically use water and beef base)
Sherry
Day old French bread
Gruyere, Swiss, or a combination of the above
Melt the butter and olive oil, enough to generously cover the bottom of a heavy bottomed stock pot. Keep heat very low. Half and thinly slice the peeled onions and add to the pan. Sauté for a long time. Find something to do. Keep sautéing. After an hour or so, with intermittent stirring, and after you have very soft, caramelized onions, add the flour and sugar and stir constantly for about a minute. Add the broth to cover with a generous dollop of sherry. Simmer the soup, stirring here and there, for a few hours, the longer the better. Before serving, slice the bread and grate the cheese. Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls, add a slice of bread, and top with lots of cheese. Heat under the broiler until golden brown and bubbly. Bon Appetit!
