It's been cold enough that it doesn't feel quite like summer. I made borscht yesterday, with the loveliest fresh beets from the farmer's market, and some absolutely adorable carrots. There's enough of it that I'll be eating it for the next week, most likely, but I don't mind, because it tastes amazing.

There's been some knitting going on, too, and it was with shock that I realised last night that I only have one true wip -- the other ten on my ravelry project page only need to be made up and blocked. Once I get around to that I'll finally have something to show for all my effort. No wonder I've been feeling like I've been knitting and knitting and knitting and not getting anywhere! The Olympics make for a perfect time to work, too. Sit there, oogle the athletes, and be impressed by their work, all the while clicking away.

I haven't written a lot lately, and I'm gradually easing back into that. It's freeing.

Borscht:

3 potatoes

1/2 of a tiny cabbage head

Pinch salt

3 small beets

3 carrots

1 tomato

Some oil

Several dashes of dried onion

A few peppercorns and two bay leaves (or more, or less, to your tastes)

Coarsely chop the cabbage into cubes. Cube the potatoes. Put both into the soup pot you plan on using, and fill with water until vegetables are covered. Add another cup or so. Add a few pinches of salt -- careful, you don't want this too salty -- and set on the stovetop to boil away until potatoes are cooked through.

While the cabbage and potatoes are cooking, grate the carrots. Coarsely grate the beets. Chop the tomato into tiny cubes. Put some oil on a pan, add the dried onion (or half an onion, chopped, if you have it. We were all out of onions so I had to make do), and let sizzle until on the lighter side of golden brown. Add in the beets, carrots, and tomato, and cook until done -- or as long as you can bear. A lot of the moisture will have evaporated, and the texture will be slightly different -- softer. Make sure it doesn't burn.

Add the peppercorns and bay leaves to the soup pot. I put them into a tea strainer so it's easier to fish them out, but you can just let them float and take them out as you serve. Add the contents of the pan to the soup pot, stirring, and let it rest at a low boil for at least fifteen more minutes.

Serve with a healthy dollop of sour cream and a few pieces of black bread.