Borscht

"Borscht" is a common eastern European soup, likely of Ukrainian origin, most often made in modern times from beets, although there are types without beets. Originally a particular type of parsnip was the main ingredient of the soup that developed into the varied modern recipes. Many Ashkenazi Jews lived in eastern Europe, and when Jewish immigration from the old Russian Empire to the United States increased significantly in the latter part of the 1800s and early 1900s, they brought both the word and the soup to this country. In those times, both modern Ukraine and much of Poland were part of the Russian Empire. In that time period, and especially after World War One, further immigration from (the) Ukraine and (the then) eastern region of Poland, spread the use of the soup in the United States. How likely Americans are to encounter "Borscht" on a menu will certainly depend upon where you live. I'm sure it is much more commonly seen in New York City and vicinity. Here in Cleveland I used to see it at restaurants in the city's northeast neighborhood of Collinwood, as many Lithuanians, and their descendants, live there. Also, the same was true in the city's near West Side neighborhood of Tremont, where there were many people of Ukrainian and Russian descent. And back on the East Side, I would certainly think it is common at places in the general vicinity of University Heights and Beachwood, as there are many people of Jewish background in that area, including many who immigrated to Cleveland from Russia after the fall of the Communist regime. I'm sure the same would be true in other places across the country where there are fair concentrations of people from these various backgrounds. This recipe, my own version, is based upon one from, "The Best of Russian Cooking," by Alexandra Kropotkin, published by Hippocrene Books, 2002. (The original edition was published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1964). I've made this simple by using both canned beef consommé and canned beets.

Ingredients:

2 cans/jars beets (14 to 15 ounces each, not pickled), with 3/4 cup of their liquid
2 cans beef consommé (10.5 ounces each)
2 1/2 cans water (use a can from the consommé)
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1 teaspoon salt (you can omit the salt, as the consommé and beet juice have salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh or dried dill

Put the consommé, water, onion and carrot into a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the vegetables from the broth, then add the beet juice, the vinegar, the Worcestershire sauce and the salt and pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook just 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the beets, which should be cut into somewhat smaller pieces, stir to mix in. I used canned sliced beets, and I halved the smaller slices and cut the larger slices into 3 or 4 pieces. The hot liquid will heat the beets (canned beets are already cooked). Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a nice dollop of sour cream and sprinkle on some dill. You can eat the soup hot, too, by stirring in the sour cream after the soup has cooled a bit, or stir it in with each serving.      

WORD HISTORY: 
Cream-The ultimate origins of this word are unclear. It goes back to two separate, but similar, sources: Greek "khrisma," which meant, "ointment, oily healing substance." This was borrowed by Latin as "chrisma," with the same meaning. This gave the same word the additional "church Latin" meaning, "oil for anointing," which then contributed to Old French, a Latin-based language, "cresme," which meant, "oil for anointing, ointment." The French word also seems to have been partially derived from Latin, "cramum," which meant, "cream," "seemingly" from Gaulish, a Celtic language, "crama," which also meant "cream," from an original meaning of "skin, layer;" thus later, "cream," the layer at the top of milk (the saying is appropriate: "the cream rises to the top"). English borrowed the word from French in the 1300s as "creyme," although it took time to displace the native English word "ream," the original English word for "cream." ^ Notice too, the word carries both the meaning, "fatty thickened liquid of milk," and, "oily healing substance, salve, ointment." The verb form was derived from the noun and still means "to beat milk or cream into a thickened state," and thus also, "to completely defeat an opponent or enemy," a meaning which seems to have come from the American branch of English. 

^ For the history of the word "ream," use this link and see the "Word History" there: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/04/schnitzel-with-creamy-mushroom-gravy.html