Burgers and Borscht

Her borscht was so delicious. How had she done it? I'd made this Ukrainian soup many many times but her version was so delicious. (Our son and his wife had invited us over for a barbecue that afternoon.) It was soon after that she left to go outside where her husband, my son, had been grilling the burgers. I returned to the stove for another serving of this incredible red ambrosia. Upon her return, my daughter-in-law noticed my serving of borscht had not 'moved'. “Did she not like it”, she seemed to wonder? Nothing could be further from the truth, I responded. I had given myself another serving, having quickly devoured the first one while 'Anna' was outside. My secret had been discovered.

Anna seemed pleased that borscht, a soup she had not had, while growing up, was now one she enjoyed, too. She got me thinking, again. Burgers and borscht had not been a dietary combo with me, but now it seemed to make sense. Soup is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. And the body does not recognize seasons of the year. It understands and responds to wholesome food, made anytime, anywhere. Soup is one of the best 'meals.'

Later that week, with ingredients in hand, I began chopping the onions, carrots and beet tops for the borscht I decided to make but had not thought of until Anna put the idea in my head. (Chicken broth can also be used as the 'bone' broth for borscht. Maybe adding tofu could change this soup's status quo, too.) I began the layering process, in the bone broth, adding the organic beets I had bought for the first time. Rather than peeling these nutrient gems, I decided to simply wash them well, beforehand, thus eliminating an unnecessary peeling/discarding step. The organic peelings would be fine considering their origins, I reasoned now, in my new version of borscht. (Only a tiny snip of the root had been eliminated.)

Rib bones began the process of making the soup, allowing for the flavour to develop as required. They gently simmered for a couple of hours with vegetables added, as required. After learning about enhancing the flavour of soups using the outer onion 'tissue', strained after use, I realized that the skins of beets should be included outright, but washed, very well, beforehand, before being added into the soup with the vegetables, including tomato juice and tomatoes. (I use these outer paper-like covering of onions for marinating meats, too.) With borscht, chopping the whole beet made health and economic sense. Once these whole red gems were tender, they were cooled a bit, then chopped and returned to the soup. In the past, I would have thrown out the beet peelings. Not now. My thinking and purchase had changed. When I began using organic beets, the decision to use its peel was clear cut.

My 'daughter' had made the soup of my childhood that afternoon. She began with grass-fed beef bones, cooked slowly over time, adding the vegetables, including chopped cabbage, as the soup simmered gingerly, on the stove. She added minced garlic, a super food, for that extra flavour kick. With her Italian heritage, she made borscht, like a pro. I was honoured. In my youth, my mother made borscht more like a stew than a soup, using sour cream. I never liked it that much but persevered in trying to improve the soup once I left home, with a 'clearer' version, in mind. It is now a favourite of ours along with other childhood favorites, including homemade noodles with cottage cheese. Oh, yum, yum.

My daughter-in-law is a pioneer, in so many ways, with her very 'green thumb' talent. (Both my daughters are) Her new garden boasts a cornucopia of colourful nutritious vegetation. She has the tallest sunflower plants I have ever seen. She cooks with an eye to experimenting. We seem to understand one another as we laugh about our misadventures, in the kitchen. “Unless you try something new, you will never grow” the saying goes. And so we do. ...

My borscht became a better version because Anna decided to make some, one day. She worried about what I might think of her soup. How silly. How could she? Everything she has ever made has always been delicious. Lucy, my other daughter, is the same. How could I have hit the lottery twice with two delightful daughters who think as I do: that food is medicine and cooking it is always a fun adventure, made with love. And it all began with making borscht, one Sunday afternoon, in the early summer. Next: homemade perogies made with apple cider vinegar, organic flour, jalapeno pepper, cheese and a bit of potato. A perfect fit with borscht, chocolate cake and salad, too. Oh, my. What a yummy idea!