Two Cent Bridge Kotlas - Waterville Area
Sister City Connection
P.O. Box 1747
Waterville, ME 04903-1747
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Kotlas-Waterville Area Connection members gathered at our booth at Head of Falls on a sunny, blustery Sunday (October 4, 2015) to sell home-made borshch with black bread and sour cream and Pol’ska kielbasa at a busy and popular Festival at the Falls. On one side of our booth, we sold some of our Russian ornaments - small Matrioshki nesting dolls, children’s toys, decorated wooden Easter eggs, birchbark ornaments, and other small decorative items.

Festival at the Falls 2015

The borshch-filled crock pots were simmering, the kielbasa were sizzling on the grill when Head of Falls suddenly lost power. But we and all the other food booths coped well with this unexpected surprise by toting our food to members’ homes and keeping things hot and ready to serve until the power was restored. And we all heaved a huge sigh of relief after averting a near disaster. Guests asked lots of questions about the ingredients of borshch before ordering and enjoying their first bowl of borshch. The hot soup warmed many a chilled body on a breezy fall day. And many a small child enjoyed a small Russian toy, while enjoying all the fun with hayrides and pumpkin carving at the Festival. Our thanks to all the cooks and helpers and all the guests, who helped us raise funds for our future student and teacher exchanges.

If you would like to try an easy borshch recipe, here is Sheila's variation. "It freezes wonderfully for a couple of months."

Sheila's BORSHCH
The soup:
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 large green pepper, 1/4 inch dice
  • 3 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 medium beet, peeled and grated
  • 1 small celery stick, 1/4 inch dice
  • 1/2 tart apple, 1 inch dice
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled, 1 inch dice
  • 1 6 ounce tomato paste
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 quarts vegetable stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped parsley and chopped dill
1. Melt butter in large soup pot, adding onion, carrot, pepper; sauce until vegetables are softened.
2. Stir in cabbage, beet, celery; sauce another ten minutes.
3. Stir in apple, potatoes, tomato paste, garlic; add stock, bay leaf, peppercorns; bring to boil; reduce and simmer twenty minutes.
4. Add paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, lemon juice, parsley and dill.
5. Let stand for three hours or overnight (or longer). Remove bay leaf and peppercorns before serving. If desired, add a dollop of sour cream.

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