| 3 | tb | Unsalted butter |
| 1 1/2 | lb | (4 large) Bermuda onions, spanish onions, or sweet onions of your choice, thinly sliced |
| 1 | ts | Sugar |
| 1 | c | Dry white wine |
| 2 | qt | Beef broth (see note below for using canned) |
| 2 | | Ribs celery with leaves, each rib cut in half |
| | Salt to taste (remember that the broth may be salty, and that you will be topping the bowls with cheese ... I, myself, would just omit this, but YMMV) |
| | Black pepper to taste |
| 1/4 | c | Dry fino sherry |
| 4 | sl | French bread, each cut 1/4-inch thick and lightly toasted (up to 6) |
| 1/4 | c | Coarsely grated Emmenthal, Gruyere, or other Swiss-type cheese (up to 1/3) |
