Tag Archives: food

I was first introduced to cold borscht when I lived in Lithuania as a kid. When I first encountered it, I was a little put off by the alarmingly bright pink color, and confused by the idea of a cold soup. However, I quickly came to love the combination of tangy buttermilk with the rich and earthy beets and potatoes.

Cold borscht is also a perfect spring meal. All of the ingredients are fresh– at their peak, even– and the weather is just becoming warm enough to appreciate a cold soup. Another nice thing is that it could not be easier to make.

People sometimes turn their noses up at borscht because it is often portrayed as a “poor people” food– there’s hardly a reference to Russia or Eastern Europe where borscht isn’t the butt end of a joke. I find that it is an easy, cheap meal, but that its simplicity neither lessens the wonderful flavors nor dampens the celebration of fresh spring ingredients.

Recipe: Serves 2

1/2 lb new potatoes

6-7 fresh beets

2 fresh green onions

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups of buttermilk

Star by cleaning the beets and adding to boiling water. After 5 minutes the beets should be cooked through. Run the beets under cold water and the skins can be easily pushed off. Next in a clean pot of boiling water place the potatoes in (whole) and cook until tender all the way through. While the potatoes are cooking, blend 3 of the beets with the cold buttermilk. Add salt and pepper along with half of the dill. Once the potatoes are done run them under cold water and remove the skins. Cut the remaining beets into bite-size pieces and divide between two bowls along with the potatoes. Pour the buttermilk over the beets and potatoes and garnish with finely chopped green onion and the rest of the remaining dill.