Let’s be honest, this late in the week we are all thinking the same thing.
Where is borsch?
Yes, I would feel hard done by too.
This soup is a labour of love. It’s not about fancy cooking skills, it’s more about an eye for colour — an extremely contested and blissfully subjective litmus test. A sliding scale. Colour, by definition, is a personal possession. More beet? Pink and sweet. Beef for base? Maroon to taste.
I admit, all the peeling and chopping and boiling have squeezed the last drop of energy I had left to say anything of real value. Although, no amount of context or nostalgic reminiscing could neither dilute nor amplify what’s already in the bowl. Instead, I invite you to feast your eyes on some jaw-droppingly beet-red, gob-smackingly rich, and tongue-tyeingly delicious goodness. (Feed it to us slowly they said, but like nana I am, too, a feeder.)
No additional words needed, only a slice of rye and smetana.
From the bottom of my heart, enjoy x
Maya Gulieva is a writer, artist and educator living in London. She was born in Moscow. You can find her on instagram here.