Good morning!  Before we continue on our jaunt through Bosnia, I want to stop for a moment and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Dad.  Happy Birthday, Pa! I love you muchly and am so glad you’re my friend. 🙂

Now…back to Bosnia!

After wending our way past this idyllic lake…

…and through fairytale mountains…we emerged into a valley and began driving through beautiful little villages clustered along the riverbank.

So many things entranced me about the towns we passed: the tidy gardens being readied for spring, farmers pitching hay onto towering stacks, the abundance of balconies festooned with flowers or laundry billowing in the breeze.

Today I’m just going to feature rooftops. They were so fascinating to me! So new, mysterious and exotic. I love how architecture reflects a culture so vividly.

In celebration of these lovely rooftops (any excuse for a party, eh?!), I’m sharing my favorite borscht recipe. I love borscht in any form: hot, sour, savory, sweet. This beauty of a soup is made unique with the addition of juicy apple. Mmmm! Somehow it goes perfectly with the earthy beetroot and has the added bonus of being equally delicious hot or cold. With sunny spring days finally making an appearance, I so enjoy a chilled bowl of borscht topped with soured cream or plain yogurt sprinkled with fresh dill.

What is your favorite springtime soup?

Borscht with Apples
(Adapted from Soup)

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 pound raw beetroot, peeled and chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large cooking apple, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
9 cups stock or water
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch dried thyme
1 large bay leaf
fresh lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper
Garnish: sour cream, fresh dill

Directions:

1. Place chopped vegetables and apple in large saucepan with butter, oil, and 3 Tbsp stock. Cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes, shaking pan occasionally.
2. Stir in cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute, then add remaining stock, thyme, bay leaf, lemon juice, and seasoning to taste.
3. Bring mixture to boil, then cover pan and reduce heat to gentle simmer. Cook about 30 minutes.
4. Strain vegetables and reserve liquid. Process the vegetables i a food processor or blender until they are smooth and creamy.
5. Return vegetables to pan, add reserved stock and reheat. Check seasoning.
6. Divide into individual serving bowls. Garnish with swirls of soured cream and a frew sprigs of fresh dill.