Šaltibarščiai and other cool soups for a warm summer

COLD BEET SOUP (1)
šaltibarščiai (1)

4 cups cold water
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups canned and diced or 3-4
fresh beets, boiled, peeled and diced
2 small cucumbers, peeled and diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsps. fresh dill, chopped
Pinch sugar
In a large bowl, whisk together water, buttermilk and sour cream. Add beets, cucumber and eggs to milk mixture. Season to taste; add dill. Best if chilled before serving.

COLD BEET SOUP (2)
žaltibarščiai (2)

1 cube beef broth
1 cup boiling water
2 cans whole beets, or 3-4 fresh beets, boiled and peeled
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 small cucumbers
1 quart buttermilk
3 Tbsps. chopped green onion
1 Tbsp. chopped dill
¼ tsp. pepper
2 Tbsps. sour cream, if desired
Dissolve cube of beef broth in boiling water; mix and let cool. Grate beets coarsely, or dice them in 1-inch long strips. Chop eggs and cucumbers. Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate before serving. The sour cream can be mixed together with all ingredients, or a dollop can be added to each bowl of soup just before serving. žaltibarščiai is usually eat- en with boiled potatoes sprinkled with chopped dill, or with black bread.

CHERRY SOUP
Vyšnių sriuba

3 cups pitted cherries
½ cup sugar
4 Tbsps. sour cream or yogurt
1 Tbsp. potato starch
1 small piece cinnamon
8 cups water
Mix potato starch in 1 cup water. Add sugar to 7 cups water, cinnamon and bring to a boil. Add cherries and starch solution, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, heat until liquid has thickened. Chill soup and serve in individual bowls garnished with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

COLD APPLE SOUP
žalta obuolių sriuba
5 medium apples
1 cup sugar
1 cup fruit juice
6 cups water
cinnamon, orange peel
Cut up apples, put in a pot, add spices, cover with 3 cups water and cook. When apples are cooked, force through strainer, add fruit juice, sugar, and hear but do not boil. Chill.
Dumplings (Leistiniai)
2 apples
2 Tbsps. sugar
2 eggs
Bread crumbs
Peel and grate apples. Add sugar, eggs and bread crumbs to make a thick dough. Beat well. Spoon the dough, using a teaspoon, into boiling water. When the dumplings rise to the surface, remove from heat, cool and add to soup. Chill before serving.

BERRY SOUP WITH MERINGUES
Uogų sriuba

7 cups berries (raspberries, currants, or strawberries)
1½ cups sugar
4 cups sour cream
A few handfuls of whole berries
½ cup white wine (optional)
Meringues (recipe follows)
Put the berries through a blender or
food processor. Add the sugar and the
sour cream. Chill overnight and add a
handful of whole berries to each plate
before serving.
Meringues
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
Dash of salt
1 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Have the egg whites at room temperature. Add the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt. Beat until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, a small amount at a time, beating until very stiff peaks form and sugar is dis- solved. The mixture should be shiny. Cover a cookie sheet with plain ungreased paper (can be part of a brown paper bag or typing paper). Using a teaspoon, drop meringues onto the cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake in a very slow oven (225 degrees) for about 45 minutes. Then shut off the oven, and keep the meringues in for another 45 minutes or so until they are thoroughly dry. Makes 10 to 12 servings of the soup, and 20 to 30 small meringues, depending on exact size desired.