- •Moon’s okroshka returns to the summer menu every year.
- •Okroshka is one of Eastern Europe’s traditional chilled summer soups.
- •Moon’s version is made with beetroot, kefir, fresh cucumber, radish, potato and horseradish.
- •Okroshka and šaltibarščiai are similar but distinct traditional soups.
- •For many of Moon’s regular guests, okroshka is the first taste of summer.
When okroshka appears on Moon’s menu, our regular guests know that summer has begun.
This chilled soup has been part of Moon’s summer menu for years. It is one of the seasonal dishes many people look forward to seeing return each spring. Simple, fresh and cooling – just what a summer lunch or the start of a light dinner should be.
One region, many chilled summer soups
The cuisines of Eastern and Central Europe have a number of chilled summer soups with the same purpose: to offer something refreshing and nourishing on a hot day.
In Lithuania there is šaltibarščiai, in Poland chłodnik litewski, and in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries there are different versions of okroshka. These dishes are related, but each has its own history, ingredients and way of preparation.
At Moon, we simply call it okroshka.
Moon’s okroshka
Moon’s okroshka is made with beetroot and kefir. Fresh cucumber, radish, potato and horseradish give the soup its freshness and a little bite.
It is a dish that does not try to be complicated. Its appeal lies in good ingredients, balanced flavours and the way each ingredient supports the others.
Cold, slightly tangy and refreshing, okroshka is well suited to an Estonian summer.
The season in a bowl
Moon’s menu changes with the seasons, and okroshka is one of the dishes served only in summer.
Like fresh strawberries, new potatoes or rhubarb, okroshka is a seasonal pleasure worth enjoying while its time is here.
For many of our regular guests, a bowl of okroshka marks their first visit to Moon each summer.
What is the difference between okroshka and šaltibarščiai?
Although these two soups are often thought of as the same dish, they are distinct.
Lithuanian šaltibarščiai is traditionally made with beetroot and kefir and is often served with hot potatoes. Okroshka, on the other hand, has many regional variations: it can be made with kefir, kvass or other fermented drinks, and the recipes differ from region to region.
Moon’s okroshka takes its inspiration from Eastern European summer cooking and is made with beetroot, kefir, fresh cucumber, radish, potato and horseradish.
Moon’s okroshka has become a summer classic at the restaurant. Its roots lie in the Eastern European tradition of chilled summer soups, but Moon’s kitchen has made it a seasonal dish with its own character. Beetroot, kefir, fresh vegetables and horseradish make it a light, refreshing summer soup that appears on Moon’s menu each year only while it is in season.
