Why is French Onion soup so expensive ?

[Mikey]

When you go out to eat French Onion soup is usually at least $5.00 a bowl - mostly more

For 5 bucks I could make gallons of it

Even Campbells is more than regular soups

What's up with that ?

Doesn't anybody realize it's just onions, beef broth and some old bread and mozzarella (optional) ?

[PNGwynne]

Properly made, it also has wine in it.

But you're right, it is really a cheaper, rustic dish. I think they jack the price because it has the reputation of being "French" and thus "fancy."

[boss]

The bigger question is... why does it taste so awful.

[Zemo]

I love it. Have to have the bread and cheese though.

[Wise4671]

I love me some FOS !!!!! I think its Provalone Cheese though not mozzarella :-)

[JediJaida]

It's usually the canned or dehydrated soup that tastes so bad.

Try the French Onion at Panera Bread. Their version of it is fantastic! Not too onion-y, plenty of broth that isn't too salty, plenty of cheese (I thought it was gruyere!) and really nice croutons.

Of course, if you want to make your own, watch Alton Brown. He made the stuff once on his show, while explaining the science of it.

You could almost smell it through the TV screen.

[kingdom warrior]

When you go out to eat French Onion soup is usually at least $5.00 a bowl - mostly more

For 5 bucks I could make gallons of it

Even Campbells is more than regular soups

What's up with that ?

Doesn't anybody realize it's just onions, beef broth and some old bread and mozzarella (optional) ?

Cause Wine is expensive AND it DOES NOT have Mozzarella in it....it's Aged Gruyere cheese. I hate when they use Mozzarella to top French onion

[4NDR01D]

I like it best when made with vermouth and cognac.

[Hector]

I'd rather have Pho beef/pork noodle soup...just had some yesterday at a neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant, only $6.50 a bowl, and it's a HUGE bowl, delicious spicey goodness, yum.

I also like chicken noodle, ministrone, and clam chowder...not crazy about straight up tomato soup.

A tortilla and potato soup rules too.

And of course, myself being a beaner, I go crazy for both menudo and pozole, mmm...

[PNGwynne]

It does properly use Gruyere. I've made it from scratch and good cheese as a garnish is easily the most expensive ingredient.

But it's a garnish--you don't put a huge slab on each serving as they do in some restaurants.

[Duncan]

It's usually the canned or dehydrated soup that tastes so bad.

Try the French Onion at Panera Bread. Their version of it is fantastic! Not too onion-y, plenty of broth that isn't too salty, plenty of cheese (I thought it was gruyere!) and really nice croutons.

Of course, if you want to make your own, watch Alton Brown. He made the stuff once on his show, while explaining the science of it.

You could almost smell it through the TV screen.

Agree on both counts - Panera's FOS is yummy, and Alton Brown is absolutely worth watching. Also, my Mom taught me to use Swiss. It's all good.

[Donkey Hoatie]

Another reason could be that it actually takes a fairly long time to caramelize the onions. Yes, onions are cheap, but when you spend around an hour to get them just right, you're talking about an added cost. Then, you add in the wine and the Gruyere, and it's slightly more reasonable to see the price difference.

[Gorn Captain]

Everything is France is expensive.
My friends and I went to Paris a while back. We went into a restaurant, and ordered. Three of us wanted chicken, one wanted fish.
The waiter said that was impossible. Either we all had the chicken, or nobody got it, because they were going to cut one chicken in four pieces, and we would all get a quarter.
We left.
France is insane...

[Mikey]

Everything is France is expensive.
My friends and I went to Paris a while back. We went into a restaurant, and ordered. Three of us wanted chicken, one wanted fish.
The waiter said that was impossible. Either we all had the chicken, or nobody got it, because they were going to cut one chicken in four pieces, and we would all get a quarter.
We left.
France is insane...

I'd walk out because my portion is not a whole chicken ...

Typical American reply

[JediJaida]

I just watched an abridged version of Alton Brown's take on French Onion Soup.

Looked pretty good, and he managed to do it in less than an hour, tops.

Onions, white wine, kosher salt, butter, cognac, chicken broth and apple cider, all went into the skillet.

Made me want to go out to La Panera and have a bowl.

Dang it! Now my tummy's growling at me for the stuff.