Comments on: Hogweed Borsch Recipe

By: Walter Jacobson

Walter Jacobson — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 07:33:01 +0000

Although Soviet Ukrainian sources say that ‘borshch’ is the old Slavic name for beets, the ethnographer Lidia Artiukh states that it is from ‘borshchivnyk’ which is mentioned in 15th century written records and this also corresponds with Polish records.
Hogweed (Cow parsnip) and beets were both cultivated in Ukraine and both became the chief components of medieval borshch where hogweed was used in place of cabbage.
These days beets are still fermented (‘buriakovyi kvas’ )to make borshch, and there is also a ‘green borshch’ where sorrel, goosefoot, nettles and hogweed, and beet greens are used.
See also -
British Wild Flowers, A.R.Horwood
http://tinyurl.com/2a6bplv

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:31:44 +0000

Tahks for the input Walter. Yes Hogweed is phototoxic, so most folk need to harvest it with gloves. However some people can harvest with bare hands, but usually on an overcast day.

By: Walter Jacobson

Walter Jacobson — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:09:15 +0000

The root of the Common Hogweed (Borshchivnyk) belongs to the parsnip family and was added to borshch – hence its name.
The name borshch is from the old Slavic name for beetroot!
Heracleum species do contain sugars and can be fermented, but they are also phototoxic.
(http://gazeta.ua/index.php?id=348287)