The Anti-Borscht

Borscht, that often cold, Eastern European, potato-laden, crimson soup-- it's not one of my favorites. I love soup, and I love potatoes, and beets are my BFF (best friends forever), but all simmered together, eehhh... However, looking through the SF paper last week, the food section of course, I saw a recipe for an altogether new beet soup that I knew that I had to try.

Nowhere in the article did it mention that this was a bourgie soup, but made with bright golden beets, and embellished with creme fraiche, how could it not be? I quickly deemed it the Anti-Borscht and the Bourgie Beet Soup. Simple in its composition, using golden rather when ruby beets, and made with just a handful of ingredients, the soup was beautiful to behold and delicious to taste. So rarely do you obtain a soup that is so clear, so honestly golden in color, I was shocked by its loveliness. It almost seemed a shame to slurp it up. But I was happy I did.

Light, creamy, buttery, the soup tasted earthy, but not overpowering. Perhaps if you closed your eyes and tasted, the soup was even reminiscent of a light corn soup eaten in August-- that is how sweet it was. Although golden beets have little difference in flavor than the traditional red fleshed sort, due to its sunny color and the addition of some luscious creme fraiche, this soup was both smooth and delicate.

There is something so lovely about a bowl of soup for lunch. Healthy and hearty, with a crust of bread, and in this case some peppery radishes, it just felt like spring. And beets are insanely good for you, high in potassium and folic acid; they are wonderful steamed or roasted as well. If you would like the recipe for this Bourgie Borscht the recipe is here, along with several other delicious sounding springtime soups.