Superficially, this would appear to be the only thing I accomplished today: a bowl of homemade French Onion Soup.

Except–and this is the important part–that there wasn’t just one bowl. There were two. One for me, and one for my niece. Which, really, makes it pretty exciting.

My niece, of course, came down yesterday to spend the weekend with us, and we all had a lovely day, ending it watching Foul Play. (Does anybody else remember that 1978 movie? Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, “Kojak, bang bang?”)

Anyway, today, though, after homemade waffles for breakfast, Mom and Dad went to Pennsylvania for a little mini family reunion between Mom and two of her cousins that she hasn’t seen in years, which left my niece, Chappy, and me alone together. I can’t actually remember the last time I got to spend this much time with my niece, but she stayed all day, and it was lovely.

We looked at old pictures, chatted, took Chappy for a walk, and, oh yes, ran to the grocery store to buy red onions, broth, french bread and cheese to make soup for lunch.

For the record, we used the Cook’s Illustrated recipe, with an added dash of Worcestershire sauce, and it tasted great. Though we both agreed that the bread should have been toasted first, before broiling it with the cheese. Some recipes say toast, others don’t, but we think toasting would have been the way to go. I’d forgotten, too, just how very punguent slicing five, big, red onions would be. I got all teary, and tried to cover it by sniffling, “I love you, niece” so she’d think I was just being emotional . . . that’s cooler than being beset by onion fumes, right? (Gosh, I hope so, or what must she think of me?)

Anyway, it doesn’t sound like a lot to fill up a day, told that way, but really?

Extremely satisfying.

(And, I DO love you, niece!)

Tags: Baking, Family // 9 Comments »