1) Melt butter and onions in a large pot. Stir until soft (but not brown). 2) Dissolve OXO cubes in 1 cup boiling water. Add this to pot along with remaining boiling water. Do not add cubes directly to pot until they are dissolved. 3) Add garlic cloves, worcestershire sauce, brandy. 4) Add spices to taste. Quite a few dashes of each. Stir until mixed in. 5) Simmer on low (2-3) heat on stove for 1 1/2 hours. 6) Fill french onion soup bowl 2/3 full of soup. 7) Add covering of croutons. Add covering of grated cheeses. Be generous with the cheese! 8) Bake at 350 F until the cheese is bubbling and slightly brown. The remaining soup can be stored in the fridge for weeks, and simply baked as needed. From the kitchen of Peggy and Bruce Travers,Cyberealm BBS Watertown NY 315-786-1120