After my Dad died my sister continued to take Mom to church. When I moved into the same building as Mom I started getting soup ready for them so that we could eat our noon meal together, and Sunday afternoon seemed less long and barren. Even now that Mom is in a Long Term Care Home my sister often brings her to my house for soup on Sunday.
Today I have half a cabbage and some beets that need to be used, so I pulled out the Mennonite Central Committee sponsored cookbook, Simply in Season, and turned to page 243, “Winter Borscht.” Because I am of Swiss Mennonite heritage, I didn’t experience borscht and zwieback and other such Russian Mennonite foods until I went into Voluntary Service. But I’ve always enjoy foods from other parts of the world, and don’t hesitate to try them.
I rarely make a recipe exactly as written. This will be no exception. I do not have stewing beef or chicken, but I do have frozen meatballs and a litre of beef broth that I can use for half the water. Likewise I don’t have pearl barley on hand, but I do have quinoa. I have dried parsley, not fresh and I will leave out the chives.
Too bad you can’t add the smell of my soup cooking to this blog. Yum!
For these Sundays I get the soup just barely cooked, then turn off the stove while I go to church. When I get home, I need only turn up the heat to bring it to serving temperature.
Because of the cold winter weather Mom opted not to come today. My sister, niece and I enjoyed a bowl of borscht with lots left over. I send some home with them. Lunches this week are easy.
Barbara B
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