French Onion Soup Formality (2024)

FAQs

What is the etiquette for eating French onion soup? ›

I fear it's gauche to use a knife, but how am I supposed to cope with the thick layer of cheese on top? With such a soup, a knife is your friend, not your enemy. Using both the soup spoon and the knife, push the baked cheese against the rim of the cup or bowl and cut it gently with the knife.

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

French Onion Soup is great because the slower you cook it and the more patient you are, the better your soup will taste. It's truly an important lesson in cooking: the more care you take with your ingredients, the better your finished recipe will be.

Serve: Pour soup into bowls and transfer the cheesy toasts onto the top of each bowl. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with more cheese.

In France, it is customary to eat most food using cutlery. Eating with your hands is considered impolite, so make sure to tuck into that steak frites with your knife and fork. Notable exceptions include bread and certain dishes including asparagus.

Avoid Slurping Soup

Instead of slurping to cool the soup, try gently and quietly blowing on the soup in the spoon before taking it into your mouth. Once cooled, the spoonful can then be put into your mouth without slurping. At a very formal meal, refrain from blowing or slurping.

If you don't add enough salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, the soup may taste bland.

Made slightly thicker than most soups, which are slightly more watered down, because the texture of French onion soup calls for a compliment the caramelised onions. Onions cook low and slow for about 45 minutes to draw out their natural sweetness, creating deep, meaty flavours with a subtle spice.

Caramelizing the onions, the use of wine, beef broth, and croutons with Gruyere cheese on top. Why is my French onion soup bitter? Either the onions have been burned or a bad-quality broth has been used.

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor.

How thin should onions be sliced for French onion soup? ›

Peel each half, keeping the flesh tethered at the root end. Slice 1/4-inch thick longways, pole-to-pole, using a mandolin if you have one.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours.

French onion soup, or soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is a classic French dish made with caramelized onions and beef stock or broth. The soup is topped with bread and cheese, then gratinéed to rich, gooey perfection.

It is said that it was invented by none other than King Louis XV late one night at his hunting lodge when he was very hungry. When he only found onions, butter, and champagne in the pantry, he decided to use the three ingredients to make the French onion soup for the very first time.

But, to answer the OP, if a French person were to eat onion soup, it would be as the starter course for dinner, so somewhere around 8 or 8:30 PM in Paris, 7 PM in the rest of the northern half of the country, and around 9 PM in the south.

French onion soup is best served with the bread/crouton/toast served on the side.

One does not place the entire spoon in one's mouth. Soup is sipped silently from the side of the spoon. As tempting as it may be to place the entire spoon in your mouth, especially when a truly yummy soup is served, refrain yourself! Fill your soup spoon by skimming the surface, scooping the spoon away from you.

Avoid blowing on soup (for risk of it being blown onto the table or your lap) and simply let it cool by stirring it. Eat slowly, and in Western cultures, avoid slurping or making loud noises while enjoying your soup.