A wonderful way to elevate soups to party status is to play with garnishes. For me, vichyssoise, a creamy French potato and leek soup, is the ultimate canvas, as so many things are delicious with it. Chives are a standard topping, but I sometimes add a dollop of salmon caviar, or a spoonful of chutney, or a mound of smoked salmon slivers.
I always puree vichyssoise in a blender for a fine, smooth consistency and elegant presentation. If you use a food processor or immersion blender, you may want to strain the soup through a sieve to remove any remaining bits, and give it its characteristic smooth-as-velvet texture.
