Eating traditional Doukhobor borscht is a common Kootenay experience. The hearty soup has an orange hue, unlike the purple-red of other beet soups, and is rich to the point of decadence, with whipping cream, butter, cabbage, celery, tomato, and four different root vegetables. Enjoying a warm bowl of it is like being hugged by a matronly Doukhobor baba.
That’s why we’re excited to announce the Doukhobor Discovery Centre will be hosting its second Borscht Cook-off on October 1, 2022. A variety of different recipes will be served by contestants, who will prepare their soup at home and then bring a minimum of a gallon to share with attendees. Three judges will award one winner with a trophy that features a large green cabbage facsimile and a separate “people’s choice” award will also be given.
The event is a great way to experience and learn about Doukhobor culture and history in Canada and British Columbia. It will be held at the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, which is a reconstruction of a typical Doukhobor village, circa 1908-1939, with all of the major buildings, tools, handicrafts, and implements used at that time.
The Doukhobors fled persecution in Russia at the turn of the last century because, as a pacifist, communal people, they refused to take up arms to fight for the Czar. They were, and still are, legendary for their farming prowess and they chose to settle in Castlegar for the excellent soil here. It goes without saying that food is an important part of the culture and Ryan Dutchak, the Centre’s director says, “foods bring people together, they connect us to specific places, to our families, to our own heritage, and help promote cross-cultural understanding.”
The Cook-Off is open to people of all ages and entry is by donation. Attendees are welcome to enjoy as much borscht as they can eat and special Borscht Cook-off mugs will be available for purchase. For more information about the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, visit doukhobor-museum.org.