13.39 - The Great Debate: French Onion Soup + Creativity + Kings...
I, perhaps naively, thought French onion soup was, just, French onion soup, but... +Explore the life of a mature art student in Versailles. +Read 'Quel Scandale!' France, Kings & lavish displays...
Recently published articles: MyFrenchLife™ Magazine - Creativity & the question: What is an artist? from a student in Versailles - Quel Scandale! All about France, Kings, lavish displays, and more…
Thank you so much for your support…
‘‘le Bulletin' is read across 47 US states & 67 countries and for this, I’m very grateful. I’m adding to the content breadth and depth each week. If you’re enjoying this newsletter, then please consider providing support for my continued work, for the cost of a good coffee now and then - Merci d’avance - Judy - 30.9.23
1. The Great Debate about French Onion Soup
How can there be a debate, French Onion Soup is great, hands down. Right?
As autumn settles in the northern hemisphere, already I’m seeing articles everywhere about French Onion Soup. And I mean everywhere! Is French onion soup becoming the harbinger of colder weather? Who knows?
What I do know is there seems to be debate about what is THE AUTHENTIC French onion soup. Let’s dig into this, shall we?
Firstly there was an article published by Jamie Schler in her Life’s a Feast Substack. Jamie is a freelance writer & speaker, specialising in food & culture. She has lived in France for more than 20 years, where she runs a hotel in Chinon, France, and writes about life, culture, modern-day living, and food.
Jamie is passionate about:
… delving back into history and uncovering the origins of the classic French dishes and desserts, discovering the authentic versions and how these iconic foods evolved over time. French onion soup, a dish traditionally eaten after a night of revelry as a nourishing restorative.”
Why so much detail about Jamie? Well, I thought you might like to read her work, as I enjoy it, and, also, this was the first place that the debate about what’s authentic in terms of French onion soup and other Classic French dishes came to my attention.
I love it when people get a bit riled up about food, and what’s authentic… Jamie speaks about the origins of the soup, the traditions, the legends, Julia Child’s ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’, and of course herrecipe. Enough to cause you to salivate, it did me :)
The comments ran to 28, not super huge, but good engagement, especially when some of those commenting seemed to have a lot of experience with the topic. I often find comments more interesting than articles. Do you? Let’s look at a couple:
A reader - Deb Coyle says:
Love the simplicity of this recipe. It’s delicious, by the way! I have made it several times. I went and checked my 1961 copy of Larousse Gastronomique. It also has a recipe for onion soup gratinee that includes grated cheese and butter to top it off. Interesting that your 1989 version reverted to the 1939 version and omitted the cheese.
Reader, Jon Gazzard - an Engineer in the UK says:
heheh..to end the day, a heated debate on the nature of french onion soup, where my mother said she preferred the crouton outside the soup rather than in it..and my father said he thought the bread should be either a side or floating on the top?...so after a review of jaime's recipe online [he asks me to show him], and he brings out five french cookery books of note, to which they give five completely different recipes [some with egg/cream, some with bread, some with no cheese etc]..and a quick google showing multiple recipes with the bread has cheese on top and submerged..the argument lies unabated... [I think my parents had some French soup in the past, where the croutons were not added in the process but given after......the only thing we can agree on..is that the French have different variations.....and my parents prefer the croutons[toast] separate or added at the last moment [winks] but the french nation/people must be impressed that we have actually had a debate in a English household on how to make french onion soup [winks] :)
[Theemphasis in the quote above is mine, not the commenter.]
My curiosity got the better of me and I was off!
And there are more debates about French onion soup, it seems - wow. I found an actual debate, bursting with fascinating information and more…
…It is our duty as a people to, through any means necessary, protect France from her Gruyère ravagers! This is how we shall instigate our revolution to completely and wholly reclaim France for the French, starting with the cheese on our soups!
In conclusion, while Gruyère and Comté share similarities in certain characteristics, such as color and aroma, Comté is a more deeply developed cheese. It harbors a wider range of flavors within its paste, boasts a generally higher fat content for increased richness in taste, and offers slightly a softer texture. In addition, its French origin suits its usage in French soups. With that being said, please consider using Comté in your next French onion soup to add greater depth to your soup consumption experience.”
2. The Civilized Soup – a.k.a How my Favorite Food Started a Dairy Race War, led by William Doyle, Freelancer
And the closing by Doyle:
…There would be no conflicts between flavors because there is only one flavor, and a smooth one at that. Furthermore, Comté cheese has been rated as one of the world’s “finest cheeses”. A “fine” and elitist cheese is not a cheese to represent society. We do not champion fierce and haughty elitism that represents only the few. Gruyère is a cheese that represents the average member of society, as it is a cheese of humble origins with a rough rind to show the dedicated and industrious nature of everyday people, while having a creamy and gentle inside to show the humility and virtue of all the members of society.
In short, if we condone or permit the application of Comté cheese to French onion soup then we render all the morals of society moribund. Gruyère cheese is the perfect binding element and model for societal perfection because of its very nature. If we are to change such a cornerstone of civilization like the cheese of our beloved and glorious French onion soup, then we might as well surrender ourselves to barbarism now in order to prepare to the subsequent collapse of all things civilized and holy.
It seems that there is a debate about everything to do with French onion soup
Not everyone is in favour of lavish exhibitions of wealth and extravagant state events paid for by the public purse… Wait didn’t we hear that sentiment in France many, many years ago, in 1789?
The September 2023 State Visit of King Charles 111 to France was planned as a gesture of friendship from Britain after the rocky road to Brexit.
Both countries do pomp & ceremony well: Military bands and parades at the Arc de Triomphe, and amazing scenes of a lavish dinner in the Hall of Mirrors in The Palace of Versailles - by Ray Johnstone. Discover more…
If you enjoyed this article then please leave a comment.
Attending art school in Versailles as a mature student, Henrie Richer explores creativity and ponders ‘What makes an artist’? Henrie shares how she deals with her inner critic. She also walks us through her thoughts and challenges and even shares images of her struggles and progression. Merci Henrie. Discover more…
If you enjoyed this article then please leave a comment for Henrie.
“Thank you so much for reading ‘le Bulletin’. I appreciate the support you’re all offering across the 47 states of the USA and 67 countries in which le Bulletin is read.” Judy MacMahon
Thanks for all your messages - collaboration suggestions & opposing viewsare all welcome. Send me a message À Bientôt, Judy x
PS: this week’s ‘le Bulletin’ for PAID subscribers - ‘13.39.a - Decrypting Restaurants in France: Restos, the BISTROT, Brasseries, Bouillons...' - is in your inbox. Check-out the preview & consider upgrading to enjoy it in full.
Like all thing French food related ‘onion Soup’ is very subjective to the region.