I watched the Lithuanian sisters (Patricija and Brigita) make this soup on My Kitchen Rules. It didn't turn out as pink as it usually does when they make it. They call it "Barbie soup" because it is usually very girly and pink looking. It sounded delicious so I looked it up online. I found the following recipe. I'll try it, but even this recipe uses prepared beets rather than roasting their own. I was surprised, but it shows it is the traditional standard. It wasn't just the sisters taking a shortcut on the show, as Manu was assuming. I'll roast my own beets, contrary to the recipe. We have excellent beets in the garden, so of course, I want to use them.

The sisters also made a potato sausage (Vedarai) and I enjoyed seeing how they used a water bottle to stuff the sausage casing. Creative and inventive. Last course for their instant restaurant was a honey cake, Medaus Tortas. I haven't seen many cakes where the layers are rolled out, like a pancake, baked and then turn out fluffy and good. The honey cake was enjoyed by almost everyone around the table.

Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beetroot Soup) https://tasteoflithuania.com/saltibarsciai-cold-beetroot-soup

Šaltibarščiai, a delightful Cold Beetroot Soup, stands as a true testament to the heart and soul of Lithuanian cuisine. With roots deeply embedded in the country's rich cultural heritage, this vibrant pink-hued soup has journeyed through generations, captivating taste buds and hearts alike. Embodying the essence of summertime refreshment, Saltibarsciai boasts a tantalizing blend of flavors, harmonizing the earthy sweetness of beetroots with the cool tangy kefir and the crisp freshness of cucumbers and dill. As a cherished dish that reflects the resilience and traditions of Lithuania, Saltibarsciai beckons culinary enthusiasts on a flavorful adventure, inviting them to experience the unique and time-honored taste of this treasured Eastern European classic.

Ingredients

• 300 g cucumber approx 1 English cucumber or 3 short cucumbers
• 500 g boiled grated beetroot see details above
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
• 2 spring onions thinly sliced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 l kefir
• 500 g potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped

Instructions

• Start by boiling your potatoes in a large pot of salted water.
• Hard-boil the eggs (it should take about 12 minutes in boiling water). Cool the eggs under cold running water. Peel them, the cut into 4 wedges.
• Tip the grated beetroot (and all of the liquid) out of the jar into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, dill and half of the green onions.
• Pour the kefir into the bowl and season everything with salt and black pepper. Stir everything together until the kefir turns pink.
• Divide the cold beetroot soup between bowl. Top with the eggs and remaining green onions.
• When your potatoes are cooked, drain them, add butter and fresh dill and shake the pot gently to coat the potatoes.
• Serve hot potatoes alongside the cold beet soup.

My Mother and I have both been watching for a copy of this cookbook. So far I have not found it where I can buy it at an affordable price for me. This one is going for $150, too much for me to fit into the budget even for this cookbook. Prices vary and most of the time it isn't available.

I first found this cookbook years ago when I was visiting my Aunt Emma (she was my Grandfather's sister, so my great-Aunt). She lived in British Columbia, Canada and I visited her a couple of summers when I travelled out on the Greyhound bus from Ontario. I had a lovely trip and one thing I very much remember still are all the great, traditional Ukrainian dishes we cooked. I wrote down some of the recipes and, when I was home again, I tried them myself. I had great success with one which was basically tomatoes cooked with butter, sour cream and cabbage. It was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten, not what I expected from a dish which featured cabbage.

Anyway, Aunt Emma is gone and I never saw her cookbook again. I don't know who got it, or if anyone actually did. So I have kept watching for it to turn up.

When I was asked to write about a cookbook for Squidoo my first thought was, of course, this old Traditional Ukrainian Cookbook. I found two on Amazon, but one is without the cover and both are pretty over my meagre budget. I'm not giving up hope on finding one for myself. More and more cookbooks are turning up in thrift stores as people are finding recipes online rather than using printed cookbooks. So, I'm sure my cookbook will come.

My favourite recipe...

Hard to pick between the cabbage rolls we have been making for as long as I can remember or the recipe from the cookbook with cabbage, tomatoes and sour cream - which I don't know the name of.