#AtoZChallenge – B is for Borscht

Two days running, now… Just as a reminder, I’ll be blogging at least 26 days this month to keep up with the A-to-Z Challenge for bloggers. This is an annual affair started by Arlee Bird to form a global blogger alliance. This year there are coming up on 1800 blogs participating; we’re to post something new each day (except Sundays) on the next-consecutive alphabet letter.

Continuing my theme of introducing my new novel, Dust to Blood, today I’m going to indulge my foodie side with a little bit of an ode to Borscht.

I know that sounds totally goofy, but have you ever had this treat? There are a wide range of variations on this filling soup, from vegan to beef-based (as is more common in Russia, the setting for the book).

For myself, I love that there is a soup whose whole reason for being is the beet. I don’t typically follow a recipe when shredding beets into water with simmering herbs and whatever other vegetables come to hand, I just love the blood-red color of the soup. Which was part of why I found it so symbolic that that would be the first food Ivan, Anne’s potential love interest, would feed her in the story.

Here’s how I make mine:

1 large onion, peeled, chopped
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
4-6 large beets, peeled, chopped
4 carrots, peeled, chopped
Thyme, dill, black pepper to taste

Saute the first two items in olive oil until wilted, add herbs and 8 cups filtered water. Bring to simmer, until water takes on green tea-like hue (from herbs). Add remaining vegetables and simmer another 45-60 minutes until beets and carrots are tender.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Dead easy comfort food without a lot of effort–ironically, this impresses Anne, who apparently likes to eat, but doesn’t like to spend time in the kitchen.