Borscht has a bad reputation in some quarters. This is primarily due to the fact it has often been associated with the soup of the decade for nearly destitute people in the former Soviet Union. In truth, Borscht is one of the best soups you will ever taste. It is particularly good when slow cooked.

Borscht is a red soup that is greater than the sum of its parts. I am almost hesitant to tell you that beet roots are the main ingredient because...well, that doesn't exactly sound all that great does it? Trust me. It is. Even better, you can put the ingredients in a slow cooker in the morning and it will be ready when dinner rolls around. On a cold winter day, it really hits the spot. This is why it is such a staple meal in much of Russia and Eastern Europe.

There are different recipes for borscht. The main ingredients are:

4 large white onions
2 medium peeled potatoes
4 peeled carrots
1/2 head of cabbage
3 medium-beets
3 large cloves of garlic
2 large tomatoes [optional]
Parsley and/or dill (to taste)

Slice, dice and mince the onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic and so on as appropriate. Place into the slow cooker. Add 3 cups of water or beef broth to the cooker to the point where everything is covered. Now add a tablespoon of salt and brown sugar. Cover and slow cook for 8.5 hours.

When the cooking time is done, give it a taste. You may want to add salt to spruce up the taste. Once done, it is time to pull out the sour cream. Pour a bowl of the borscht and then add a dob of sour cream to the bowl. If you're into authentic Russian style, you'll need some vodka too, but I leave that to you! Regardless, you can dig in. It should be excellent as the beets and sour cream really go together.