Borscht

Guide Note

Borscht is an Eastern European vegetable soup which traditionally consists of beets, tomato paste and vegetables. The beet is the ingredient that lends the dish its characteristic inky red color.

Fast Facts

1. A hearty soup including potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage
2. Often served with sour cream
3. Served hot or cold
4. Name may originate from a parsnip called "barszcz"
5. The Jewish vacation spots of New York State were once called the Borscht Belt

The diverse Eastern European nations and ethnicities have fought with each other for centuries, but Borscht may be their common denominator. Some variation of the beet soup can be found in traditional cuisines throughout the region, particularly among groups with roots in the lower-classes. Today, Borscht is identified with Ukrainians, Russians, Jews, Cossacks, Lithuanians and Poles.