APPLEJACK ONION SOUP

" I had rather munch a crust of brown bread and an onion in a corner, without ado or ceremony, than feed...at another man's table, where I am forced to chew slowly, drink little, wipe my mouth every minute, and cannot sneeze or cough, or do other things that are the priviledges of liberty and solitude."~Miguel De Cervantes


4 large sweet onions, chopped
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chablis
2 (10 1/2 oz.) cans beef broth, dilute with 1 can water
1/3 cup applejack brandy
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
toasted wheat bread
1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Saute onion in butter in a Dutch oven until tender. Add wine: cook over high heat 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.
Stir in beef broth through garlic. Cook over medium heat 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Place 8 ovenproof serving bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with slice of toast and sprinkle with grated cheese. Broil 6 inches from heat 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Watch carefully. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 cups