[Correspondent Column] Eat Borscht. Stop the War.

On the 19th (local time), a long line formed in front of Veselka, a Ukrainian restaurant located in East Village, Manhattan, USA.

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] My first meal last weekend in Manhattan, New York was Borscht. Borscht, a representative home-cooked and traditional soup of Ukraine, mainly uses beets, giving it a deep purplish-red color. It is characterized by a soft texture and hearty feeling as carrots, cabbage, beans, and meat chunks are simmered together.

Just as Koreans look for kimchi jjigae or doenjang jjigae when abroad, Ukrainians seek borscht. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month, borscht has become a global symbol of ‘anti-war’ and ‘support for Ukraine.’

Now people shout, "Make Borscht not War." They make borscht to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Russia, and eat borscht to show support for Ukraine.

At Veselka, a famous Ukrainian restaurant located in Manhattan’s East Village, New Yorkers visit daily. Even if you arrive early in the morning, you have to wait at least 30 minutes to get a table.

Operating for three generations since 1954, Veselka donates all proceeds from borscht sales to humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Lines started forming the day after the invasion, and in about three weeks, the amount of borscht sold has already surpassed 8,000 bowls, which is an astonishing 1,000 gallons. Brown, an American living uptown Manhattan, said, "I came to eat borscht," adding, "It was hard just to hear about innocent lives being lost. This is a small sign of solidarity." Cash and in-kind donations are also pouring in.

Why borscht among so many traditional dishes? Tanya, an employee at Veselka, answered, "If there is one dish that represents Ukraine, it is the hearty borscht." Originally from western Ukraine, she explained, "Borscht started in Ukraine and spread to various Eastern European countries with different recipes," and described it as a dish symbolizing a ‘strong family.’

In Ukraine, it is customary to cook a large pot of borscht on Sundays to prepare meals for the family in bulk. Therefore, borscht means ‘home’ and ‘family’ to them. It is their life and love itself, present from ordinary breakfasts to weddings and festivals. A woman who ordered borscht at a neighboring table smiled and said, "Every hostess in Ukraine has her own (borscht) recipe."

It is also worth mentioning that there have been several past conflicts between Ukraine and Russia surrounding borscht. A few years ago, Yevhen Klobusenko, a famous Ukrainian chef, led efforts to register borscht as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, similar to Korea’s kimchi-making culture, which provoked strong opposition from Russia. When the Russian embassy posted a video of making borscht on its official site, many Ukrainians rushed to leave critical comments.

Ukraine's representative home-cooked dish and traditional soup, Borscht

On Saturday morning, I suddenly rushed to East Village to order borscht because of an email I checked late the night before. The message, written in awkward Korean, was only two lines long. But its weight was so heavy that my heart ached all night. ‘There is a war in our country. We need your help.’

Klobusenko, who encourages fellow chefs via Instagram to make borscht and donate the proceeds to Ukraine, defines borscht as ‘our (Ukrainians’) soul.’ He said, "Whether fighting on the front lines or dodging bombs, when eating borscht, it feels like being embraced by a mother’s arms," adding, "With every sip, Ukraine becomes one, and I feel that everything will be okay."

At this moment when countless lives are being lost, it is heartbreaking that all I can write is a message hoping everything will be fine and that your families are safe. So, please eat borscht. Please stop the war.