The Simple French Soup That Julia Child Loved

When you think of French cuisine, your mind probably jumps to Coq au vin, bœuf Bourguignon, crème brûlée, and, of course, escargots. But the French are also passionate about their sauces and soups. Case in point: traditionally, the saucier is one of the most important stations when it comes to Auguste Escoffier's classic kitchen brigade system. So, it's probably no surprise that Julia Child, culinary icon and American Queen of French cuisine, also loved French soups. Her alleged favorite was a simple soup made out of potatoes, leeks, and cream. Commonly called vichyssoise, or potage parmentier, Child adored it for its simplicity and elegance. For her, it was the epitome of French cooking: taking humble ingredients and turning them into something transcendent. 

The history of vichyssoise, like many classic dishes, has a couple of different backstories. It's commonly believed that a version of the dish originated in the French countryside, where variations of potato and leek soups have existed for centuries. As far as its American debut, we have a French chef named Louis Diat to thank. He invented a cold version of the dish in 1917 by adding heavy cream and sprinkling chopped chives on top. He named the soup crème vichyssoise glacée and it became an immediate hit at New York City's Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where Diat was head chef. At first, vichyssoise was only served during the summer, but it soon became so popular that Chef Diat kept it on the menu all year.

Cut to 44 years later, when Julia Child releases her seminal cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." In the book, Child praises vichyssoise soup's velvety texture and its versatility, as it could be served cold or warm. On her cooking show, Child gives full credit to Chef Louis Diat, claiming that the cold version of vichyssoise "became so famous that even the French serve it now." While vichyssoise may look and sound like hoity-toity haute cuisine, it's relatively simple to make. The ingredients can be found at any grocery store: leeks, butter, potatoes, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Like so many deceptively simple dishes, the secret lies in technique. Sweating the leeks until they're soft but not browned, and pureeing the soup until it's perfectly smooth is key. If you want to take it to the Ritz-Carlton level, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve for a truly refined texture.

Child also loved the soup for its seasonal variations. In the heat of summer, vichyssoise is served chilled, with a glass of dry white wine, making it the perfect brunch appetizer. In winter, it's served piping hot with a loaf of crusty bread. Decades after Child brought the silky soup to mainstream America, vichyssoise remains a wonderfully nostalgic dish that bridges the gap between rustic country cooking and fine dining cuisine. Next time you're in need of a versatile soup, raise a toast to Julia, who taught us that truly anyone can master the art of French cooking.