Melt the butter in a stew pan.
Fry the sliced onions until they are brown.
Add some flour and fry a little longer, stirring constantly.
Pour in the 3 pints of boiling water and stir.
Add the small pieces of crusty bread and stew for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
In a separate bowl, beat the 3 egg yolks with ½ spoonful of vinegar.
Temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in some of the hot soup while stirring constantly.
Mix the tempered egg mixture back into the soup.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
