Red Beet Borscht

“Andrieșeni: Exploring the Traditions and Recipes”

Walking through the villages around Iași is a choice that’s all yours. Immersing yourself in the world of the village depends on the warmth of its residents and where you belong. Most of the time, the locals are open to sharing everything from local legends, superstitions, to their most cherished or perhaps sour recipes, especially if you have a connection within their community. We use the word “sour” here because some dishes that we find delicious might be too tangy for them to eat. However, there are still homemakers who are hesitant to reveal their kitchen secrets, as these are family treasures.

Our journey in Andrieșeni began at the emblematic Șoldana train station, heading towards Buhăeni, but we veered off course to visit the Schitul Șoldana. We wandered a lot before we were welcomed to the home of Mrs. Maricica Răuțu, who cooked beetroot borscht and griddle cakes, along with her closest friend and neighbor, Mirela P. Before reaching Mrs. Maricica, we visited other households and learned an interesting saying: “With my neighbor, I’m fine, I won’t go, and I won’t feel like it,” which, however, did not apply to the two ladies who cooked for us.

The ladies, Maricica and Mirela, immediately started cooking as soon as we stepped inside, wasting no time. While one kneaded the dough for the griddle cakes, the other peeled and chopped potatoes, beets, carrots, celery, peppers, and onions for the borscht. They started by boiling water and potatoes to skim them, then gradually added the other vegetables.

The dough had risen nicely, and they took charge of placing the griddle cakes on the stove while the vegetables simmered. Stuck to the stove, we observed the entire process, occasionally inspected by Mrs. Maricica’s mother-in-law.

We realized that in the countryside, cooking is done more with heart than measurements. Ingredients are added based on the heart’s desire, as much as needed, salted to taste, and then a little more. This was confirmed when Mrs. Maricica added just a touch of beetroot borscht without following any specific proportions to the amount of water she had set to boil. She did it “by eye,” of course.

Once the borscht came to a boil after adding that touch of beetroot borscht, our lunch was ready. Potato and beetroot borscht can be served with sour cream if it’s not a fasting day.

We delighted in a bowl of borscht alongside freshly baked griddle cakes.