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East Village Ukrainian“How do you like the borscht, darling?” the waitress at Veselka asked. With a Max Brenner chocolate place on one corner and a Starbucks on the other, Veselka and a few other places are all that’s left of what used to be a sizable Ukrainian stronghold in the East Village. But for the moment, I was back in the old days, sitting on a stool at the counter and marveling at the tart-sweet flavor of the borscht, with two improbably light pirogis floating on top. Then there was the kielbasa sandwich, with a side of red cabbage. Nestled in a crusty role and enrobed in sauerkraut, the sausage was crispy on the outside, meltingly tender on the inside — and the sauerkraut added an extra tang. With the combined juices of the kraut and the sausage — sweet with a tiny bite to it — seasoning the roll, it was the perfect marriage of bread and filling. All of this food, with some variations, reminds me of my grandmother’s Jewish cooking, especially the borscht — except her version was cold, with a heavy dose of sour cream. But the Ukrainian, or at least Eastern European roots, are similar, with one culture borrowing and adapting from the other. I would have loved to try dessert — like Kutya, a traditional Ukrainian pudding made with whole wheat berries, raisins, walnuts, poppy seeds and honey– but my cholesterol quotient was already off the charts. So, I went across the street to the East Village Meat Market, one of the last remaining Ukrainian butcher shops. Loading up on kraut, stuffed cabbage, and borscht, I considered whether to purchase some kishka, or maybe some garlic sausage. Maybe another day; it will give me a reason to return. Veselka East Village Meat Market
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