No other dish better defines Provence than soupe au pistou, the famous vegetable, bean, and pasta soup. Within a bowl you will discover the edible history of the ‘arrière-pays’, or hinterlands of Provence. A region where thrifty farmers have long tended their fields, growing some of France’s most amazing vegetables and fruits. It is a soup born from austerity and frugality; making the best use of what is in season and what is on hand.

Potato leek soup is the Swiss army knife of all soups. It’s extremely versatile and simple to make, allowing you to customize to fit your tastes and dietary needs. Every element can be modified: puree or don’t puree; use water or use stock; use milk or cream or no dairy at all. Whatever decisions you make the soup will still taste amazing. That is the simple beauty of potato leek soup.

This soup, though born in a modest farmhouse, has graced the tables of many a fancy restaurant. In the old days, potato-leek was more commonly called soupe bonne femme or ‘good wife’ soup. French American chef Louis Diat introduced a cold version called vichyssoise in 1917. He claimed he invented the soup near Vichy, France with his brother. What he neglected to mention to his adoring fans was that he got the recipe from his mother, though she served it hot. Traditionally soupe bonne femme was served unpureed and garnished with croutons made from leftover bread fried in oil. This soup is so flexible, you can garnish it with literally anything. I even have used leftover cacio e pepe.

Typically one finds a wide selection of both raw and cooked vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, poached salt cod, and snails. Many grand aïoli include lots more fish. This past weekend I made mine with snow peas, snap peas, artichokes, and fennel harvested from my own garden with carrots, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, new potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, beets, radishes, shrimp, halibut, clams, octopus, and salt cod.