Knowra French onion soup French onion soup French onion soup is a savory soup made by slowly browning onions and simmering them in broth. It is traditionally served beneath toasted bread and melted cheese.
Caramelization : A set of reactions that brown sugars under heat, producing new aromas and flavors. Slowly cooking the onions develops the soup’s sweet, browned flavor.
Onion soup : A soup in which onions are a principal ingredient, prepared in many regional styles. French onion soup belongs to a much older and broader family of onion soups.
French onion soup gratinée : A version of French onion soup topped with bread and cheese and browned under intense heat. It is the familiar presentation in which the cheese forms a browned cap.
French onion soup versus English onion soup : A comparison of French onion soup with English onion soup, which commonly uses different seasonings and serving traditions. The comparison separates the French gratinée style from another established onion-soup tradition.
Maillard reaction : A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates browned foods’ complex flavors. It contributes savory browned notes as onions cook, alongside caramelization.
Paris : The capital and largest city of France, situated on the River Seine. The soup is closely associated with Parisian markets, taverns, and restaurants.
Oven-safe bowl : A bowl made from materials that can withstand oven or broiler heat without cracking or melting. The soup is often gratinéed in its serving bowl beneath a broiler.
Cream of onion soup : A smooth onion soup enriched and thickened with cream or a cream-based preparation. Its creamy texture contrasts with the broth-based, gratin-topped French soup.
Beef broth : A liquid made by simmering beef, bones, and often vegetables in water. It is a traditional savory base for the soup.
Les Halles : A historic central market district in Paris that served as the city’s wholesale food market. Stories of late-night onion soup connect the dish with Paris’s former central market.
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