Classic French Onion Soup - Karen's Way - A Zest for Life

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided; I use organic)
• 6 medium caps shiitake mushrooms (cleaned and thinly sliced, about ¾ cup)
• 4 large onions (peeled and sliced thinly, I use half yellow and half sweet Maui - About 8 cups sliced)
• 1 tablespoon flour (use gluten free flour if preferred)
• 1/2 cup white wine (a good dry one)
• 2 tablespoons port wine
• 3 branches fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth* (preferably homemade )
• 2 cups chicken broth (homemade is preferred; use all vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
• 8 small slices baguette (¾” wide, or 4 wider slices )
• 1 medium garlic clove (peeled, cut in half)
• 1 cup Gruyere cheese (coarsely grated, about 4 ounces)