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French Onion Soup - what to serve with it?

I'm not knocking any of the advice and ideas expressed here, but why is onion soup always described as being "French"? I have lived in France for 15 years, and have yet to see this item on the menu of any bistrot or restaurant that does not cater exclusively to tourists. I suspect that the attribution is some kind of nostalgic (or perhaps imaginary) invocation of the nights spent roaming Les Halles, when France was a poor country and onion soup was a necessity on the menu. The same applies to vichyssoise - a soup that is unknown to most French people, and snails and frogs legs - shunned by the vast majority.

Every day, on my way back from work, and in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, I walk past the unspeakble local brasserie where I observe eager tourists scarfing canned onion soup and equally canned snails. It's enough to make me not want my dinner.
Interesting. I believe Jacques Pepin used to talk about how the local workers used to have onion soup for breakfast on cold days before heading out. Perhaps it is a regional thing, but I would think you are a better source than I.
 
Onion soup is one of the cheapest meal you can make, onions are very cheap and with some yesterday's bread, you've made light, but hot meal for almost nothing.

This is the basic, but you can use :
- a spoon of wheat flour (just before watering fried onions, for a creamy texture),
- beef stock (instead of hot water)
- white wine (at the end of cooking)
- toasted bread
- cheese

and even cook it in the oven (grill) to make "Gratinée from Lyon", till cheese of the surface start to turn brown.

I often make some of the "light version" after party nights, I can't explain why, but it have a great effect on hung over.

You can serve it with salad, fried eggs, salt cured ham and drink the same wine you poured in your soup.
 
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