Air conditioning simply didn’t exist in my neighborhood in Cleveland when I was a child. Walking outside the past few days in Lansing reminds me of those nights when I would lie in front of the fan, hoping for relief. The sidewalks would shimmer in the heat. The booming from the factories nearby was a reminder that the forge shops were blasting out waves of red-hot steel. Then the dump would catch fire – and occasionally the Cuyahoga River as well. It was like living in the seventh circle of hell.
When it became unbearable, my Lithuanian grandmother on my father’s side would decide that it was time to make cold borscht, a summer dish made with ice cubes. Though the dish did not always appeal to a child’s palate, sucking on the ice cubes provided much-needed relief. Today, I like the taste, too. Here is the old favorite, with a few modern additions.
3 C Greek yogurt
1 C sour cream
2 C ice cubes
2T honey (optional)
2T rice vinegar
water as needed
2 large potatoes, cubed
1 parsnip, peeled and cubed
2 beets, peeled and cubed
2 large cucumbers, seeded and cubed
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
2 scallions, diced
handful of cherries, pitted and cut in half
salt and pepper to taste
Steam the potatoes, parsnip and beets until tender (test with a fork) and set aside to cool. Note that my grandmother never used parsnip, but adding one adds a nice sweetness to the soup.
Mix the Greek yogurt and sour cream with the rice vinegar and honey, if used. Assemble the potatoes, parsnip, beets and cucumbers in the bowls or dishes in which the soup will be served. Add the yogurt (or sour cream) mixture and a handful of ice cubes. Add enough water to bring the mixture to the consistency of a soup, recognizing that the melting ice cubes will thin the soup further. Place the quartered hard-boiled eggs and scallions on top.
I added a few cherry halves just because they looked so cool with the beets and potatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
Options: The dish also tastes great seasoned with dill or mint (or even cilantro).
