Coming in from the cold to a simmering pot of soup on the stove can make winter wonderful, or even marvelous, according to Mary Schoenlein of the sorely missed bakery and lunch spot Mary’s Marvelous in East Hampton.
Schoenlein, who decided to close her beloved shop’s doors in September 2021, has since been busy compiling recipes that her loyal customers crave into a future cookbook and substack newsletter. “I’m assembling a wonderful recipe archive, attracting more and more subscribers and publishing behind the scene stories of Mary’s Marvelous, kind of woven into the recipes,” says Schoenlein, who is currently working on a ‘winter soup bundle’ offering.
According to Schoenlein, it will include an Ecuadorian quinoa soup, an Italian white bean, fennel and tomato soup, her popular mulligatawny soup (which she generously shared with us back in January 2023, recipe here) and creamy mushroom.
Southforker readers and fans of Schoenlein’s flavorful, hearty soups are in luck, as she shares her recipe here for creamy mushroom soup exclusively on ‘Cook This Now!’

“This recipe requires just a few ingredients and is simple to make,” says Schoenlein. “I’ve prepared it without cream for an earthy, rich flavor; however, adding cream enhances the soup’s richness and smoothness and lightens its color,” she continues, “I also enjoy adding a light touch of fresh thyme for extra flavor.”
When sourcing the soup’s main ingredient, Schoenlein encourages customers to shop locally and “go wild,” incorporating diced, sautéed mushrooms into the final soup or using them as a garnish. “While I typically use cultivated mushrooms, feel free to use wild mushrooms. They will add a beautifully woodsy flavor. (Try South Shore Mushrooms, available on Saturdays at the Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce’s Winter Market located at St. Mark’s Church Parish Hall, 40 Main St., Westhampton Beach.) “Additionally, you can add a tablespoon of dried porcini that have been soaked, washed and thoroughly rinsed into the soup,” suggests Schoenlein.
Cozy up and Happy Cooking!
Mary Schoenlein’s creamy mushroom soup
Ingredients
- 4 large leeks
- 2 1/2 lbs cultivated mushrooms, a combination of cremini and white button
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (2 tbsp will be used to make the garnish)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
- 2 tsp salt
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
For the soup
- To prepare the leeks, slice only the white part into 1/8-inch coins, keeping the green part for making the stock. Wash the leeks thoroughly in cold water and drain them until they are quite dry.
- In a large bowl, wash the mushrooms thoroughly with cold water to remove any dirt. Then, drain them.
- Set aside 8 whole mushrooms and thinly slice the remaining mushrooms, including the stems.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt 4 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks along with 1 tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks become translucent.
- Add the sliced mushrooms, two sprigs of fresh thyme, and an additional teaspoon of salt to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the mushrooms by about 1/2 inch and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
For the mushroom garnish
- While the soup is simmering, dice the reserved whole mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In a small sauté pan, melt 2 tbsp of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove thyme sprigs and working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return it to the pot, add the half-and-half or cream, bring to a slow simmer, and taste to adjust the seasoning.
- Stir the sautéed mushrooms into the soup or use them as a garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves and a final grind of black pepper. Enjoy!