Every week someone stands at our counter, squints at the menu, and asks: "What exactly is borscht?" Fair question. Here's the answer, from a kitchen that makes it constantly.
The Short Answer
Borscht is a hearty soup built on beets, which give it that unmistakable deep red-pink color. Ours is made with beetroot, cabbage, and potatoes, typically includes meat, and is always finished with a spoonful of sour cream that swirls the whole bowl a shade of rose. It's an Eastern European staple — the kind of dish every family makes a little differently and everyone insists their version is correct.
What's Actually in the Bowl
- Beets — the backbone. Earthy, slightly sweet, and responsible for the color.
- Cabbage and potatoes — the body. This is what makes borscht a meal rather than a starter.
- Meat — traditional versions simmer it right in the broth, ours typically included.
- Sour cream — non-negotiable. Stir it in and the broth turns creamy and mellow.
Why It Tastes Better Than It Sounds
If you're skeptical of beets, borscht is the dish that converts people. Long simmering mellows the earthiness into something closer to sweetness, the broth ends up rich and slightly tangy, and the sour cream ties it together. It's comfort food in the most literal sense — a bowl of it on a gray Pacific Northwest morning does a lot of work.
If You'd Rather Just Try It
A full bowl is $11.00 at Main St Cafe in Battle Ground, made in our own kitchen — the same one turning out fresh crepes and pelmeni and piroshki. About 20 minutes from Vancouver, Mon–Sat, 9 AM – 6 PM · Closed Sunday. It also travels surprisingly well through the drive-thru.
