Iryna Grayson serves borscht with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions and a sprinkling of parsley. (Photo: Adriana Janovich)

I like to call my wife, Iryna, the “borscht whisperer.” Her Ukrainian borscht always turns out excellent – with a hearty mix of meat, beets and cabbage and that signature, deep reddish purple-hued broth that’s cherished by anyone who loves a good bowl of borscht. Iryna and her family are from Chernovtsy, Ukraine, in the far western part of the country, close to both Romania and Moldova, in a region called Bukovina. It was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and has been populated since Neolithic times, or 4,500 to 2,000 B.C. Throughout the centuries, the area’s cuisine has been influenced by a combination of traditions, including Russian, Polish and Turkish. My wife learned about cooking from her mother and grandmother, both of whom used recipes handed down over many generations/Timothy Grayson, SR correspondent. More here.

Question: I've never eaten borscht. Have you?

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