One from the heart
“Today we made borsch. It nourished us and made us feel stronger”
When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the world changed for millions. Award-winning food writer Olia Hercules, whose family live in her Ukrainian homeland, was plunged into despair. She couldn’t cook; she couldn’t eat; but a fire in her belly gave her the strength to co-found the Cook for Ukraine campaign, which has raised over £1 million. And she has rediscovered cooking as solace, sharing hope and nurturing through one very special dish
RECIPE: OLIA HERCULES. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: SEAN CALITZ. FOOD STYLING: JESS MEYER. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SUMMER KITCHENS BY OLIA HERCULES (BLOOMSBURY £26)
Every single morning in March and April I would send a message to my parents: How are you? If they replied, it was a fairly good day. If they were silent, it was not, so I would give them space and ask the same question the following day.
And then one morning a hopeful answer came from my mum: “Today we made borsch, and it nourished us and made us feel stronger. I really feel like it’s an element of our DNA.” Immediately, I knew there was a turning point, maybe a shift from the initial shock and trauma into the next stage, whatever this may be.
I admire how strong and stoic my parents were at that time. Especially because I myself could no longer eat and could not cook. A friend of a friend started sending me a medicinal Chinese broth every week in the post. It was the thing that saved me, as I could only manage to drink, not chew.