Remember the awesome komst borscht in the Penner Foods deli?!! There was just something about Mrs. Penner's komst borscht that made it bettter than any other in the world! Well, we sent out recipe detectives on a mission and they've located the long lost recipe including the secret procedure! Make it today and enjoy a bit of Penner Foods from the 80s in 2023!
Penner Foods Deli Komst Borscht original recipe:
3 lbs beef
4 large onions
1 head of cabbage
3 potatoes cubed
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp dill seed
2 tbsp pickling spice
2 tbsp fresh parsley with leaves and stems chopped
2 cans tomatoes (28oz)
2 cans condensed tomato soup
ketchup to taste
Mrs. Penner’s secret procedure to get a nice clear broth:
Simmer beef in large pot of water for 2-3 hours. Chill overnight and skim off fat. Remove meat and liquid from pot (leaving the scum on the bottom of the pot) Wash the pot and return the beef and liquid to clean pot (cut the beef into bit sized pieces before adding back to pot). Add onions, cabbage, potatoes, sugar, spices (in spice ball) and parsley. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato soup and ketchup to taste. Heat through and serve with sour cream on the side.
note: The trained eye will see that I added a few sliced carrots, which really makes it a traditional Mennonite borscht. So leave out the carrots if you are a Penner Foods purist and want the exact soup that Mrs. Penner made famous! Enjoy!
And here is your chance to enjoy some Penner Foods nostalgia. Click on the image below to view our entire selection of Penner Foods Tribute items.
Artist's conception of world's largest varscht.
Winkler Manitoba has declared itself “The Varscht capital of Canada”. “The city has long been know for it’s famous Mennonite farmer sausage and it’s about time we get recognition for it” says John Klassen. “And people should know that we do more in Winkler than just knack sot and drink yerba”. The city plans to begin construction of the 200 foot tall varscht this summer and have it completed by next year. It will then be perched on top of the city water tower. Plans are also in the works for an interpretive center that will allow visitors to watch the varch making process. The monument to Winkler will also have an elevator that will take you to he top of the varsch, similar to the dinosaur in Drumheller, Alberta. Not to be outdone, Altona has announced plans to erect the world’s biggest borscht grope. More of that in the next Menno Tribune.
