Boeuf Bourguignon

Name: Boeuf Bourguignon
Ingredients: 3 pounds lean stew beef (chuck, round), cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes; 3 cups (1 bottle) hearty red wine (Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône are flavorful and not too costly); 4 tablespoons Cognac; 1 bouquet garni (1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf, 10 parsley stems); 6 black peppercorns; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 5 large onions; 3 large carrots; 1/2 pound slab bacon (or ventreche); Freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; Sea salt, to taste; 1 garlic clove; 30 pearl onions (fresh -- not from a bottle); 1/4 pound fresh mushroom caps ( I like Cremini)