The wonderful first days of spring are still a few weeks away, so it would be wise to expect a few chilly mornings yet to come.

It may not be cold enough to crave big hearty stews that warm the soul, but a satisfying soup might just hit the spot.

Soup is generally classified in two groups, clear and thick. Clear soups are subdivided into bouillon and consommé, by comparison thin and unappealing, best suited for the infirm in my prejudiced view.

Thick soups are described by the thickening method used: purees are thickened with a starch, bisques are made with shellfish and cream, cream soups are often thickened with béchamel sauce and veloute soups are thickened with egg yolks, butter and cream.

Whatever soup recipe you decide to make be sure to serve it in bowls that have been slightly warmed. Adding hot soup to a cold bowl will chill the soup you’ve worked so hard to make.

A loaf of good crusty bread, also warmed, but not toasted should be at hand. If you have done your job, tasting and seasoning as you go, there is no need for any other condiment on the table. If someone requests hot sauce before tasting your lovely soup do not invite them again.

Leek and potato soup, vichyssoise to the French if served cold, although France takes no credit for the recipe. This is an American idea but Larousse Gastronomique, the encyclopedia of French cooking, assigns it to a French chef from the historic province of Bourbonnais who was working in the United States in the early 1900s. Perhaps on a hot summer day serving this soup cold would be a good idea, but at the tail end of winter it is not. Serve it piping hot and let the purists whine.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

2 leeks, green stems trimmed, chopped and washed

1 cup diced potatoes

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

3 tablespoons butter

2 strips bacon, chopped

4-5 cups chicken stock, homemade preferably

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon until crispy then add the leek, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the potatoes, thyme and bay leaf and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes, add the cream and butter and simmer for 3 more minutes. Taste and season as necessary. Remove the thyme and the bay leaf and carefully place the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Serve hot and with toasted rounds of French bread.

Nothing can be as satisfying and as nutritious as chicken soup when cooked with loving care. Use the best quality ingredients that you can afford, the free-range chicken really does make a difference. If you’ve got a cold this may be the best medicine if taken several times a day.

CHICKEN SOUP

3-4 chicken quarters (legs and thighs)

1/2 cup sliced smoked sausage

5-6 cups water or chicken stock (low sodium)

1 chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper

1 cup green peas (frozen are fine)

4-6 cloves chopped garlic

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 pinches Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

4-6 tablespoons butter

Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot, season the chicken and brown over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken and add the sausage cooking until well browned, add the onions and bell peppers, sauté for 5-6 minutes, season with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock (water if your pinching pennies) and the chicken and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the peas and cook until done. Remove the chicken, cool, debone and add back to the soup. Serve with a locally made whole wheat bread.

SIMPLE SHRIMP VELOUTE

1 pint chicken stock

3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour for a white roux

1 pound shrimp

1 chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1-2 ounces butter

Black pepper

To finish: 3 egg yolk, 1/2 cup cream and1/4 cup butter

Peel the shrimp and discard the shells. Gently sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery in butter, seasoning with freshly ground black pepper for 10 minutes. Add the butter and when melted add the flour to make a white roux, stir well to incorporate completely. Cook slowly for a few minutes but do not let it take on color. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes. Puree the veloute and when smooth finish with three egg yolks, 1/2 cup cream and1/4 cup butter.

Julian Glenn Brunt, who has been a Mississippi Gulf Coast resident for more than 20 years, has a deep and abiding interest in art, culture and the culinary heritage of the South. His column runs weekly in Taste. You can contact him at living@sunherald.com.