Chłodnik

In Polish, "chłodnik" (HWOD-neek) is a savory vegetarian Polish soup ("zupa") served cold, not unlike Spanish gazpacho! Popular in the summertime, chłodnik slightly resembles Polish borscht ("barszcz"), but is much thicker and is made using cultured milk.

There are as many recipes for chłodnik as there are families, but the key ingredients are young beets ("buraki") and cultured milk (called "kefir" in both English and Polish). What's more, the entire beet plant is chopped up and used, including the leaves ("liście"), stems ("łodigi") and roots ("korzenie").

Thick and delicious! In Poland, chłodnik can be eaten alone or as part of a larger meal. If you shop at one of our three stores in New Jersey, you'll find pints of our home-made chłodnik, ready to go!