Borscht

Two nights ago we had Borscht for dinner, which no one touched. Last night we had something else, but mom decided to eat some of the Borscht, and when I commented on its unappealing muddy look and earthy smell mom said,

"It's just like grandma made--in the old country!"

There was a long pregnant pause before I asked,

"What grandma?"

Mom just laughed and said she didn't know, since we aren't remotely Russian.

Mom had been talking up the Borscht since the night no one ate it. But she didn't tell me until I was sitting at the table with my promised portion of Borscht dripping off my spoon that she had thrown out the recipe after trying it once, and that this was the thawed remnants of that attempt (and my family will eat just about anything).

It tasted just as you would expect a soup consisting of only beets and potatoes to taste.

If you try to google a picture of Borscht it actually looks pretty good. Often times Borscht contains tomatoes or other vegetables that give it a color other than muddy brown. So, being persistent, I Googled "bad borscht" and this is what I came up with.

I think I should get one for my mom (but in all fairness it was probably a bad recipe because my mom is a good cook).