The word chłodnik means coolant and it is a refreshing start to a meal in summer. The word is often translated as cold soup and that just does not do it justice.
Now my mother never made chłodnik and with the thoughts of a cold soup, which might be a little greasy I never imagined it would be good.
Then on a summer visit to Poland, one of my aunties made it with beetroots from her garden. She served it with a bowl of steaming boiled potatoes, lightly crushed, also freshly dug from the garden. I remember these as the most delicious potatoes I had ever had. The chłodnik was wonderful and I was hooked!
This is a chilled version of barszcz the classic Polish beetroot soup.
I make the clear, meat-free, Lenten barszcz made for Wigilia – Christmas Eve .
Many years ago I started to make my barszcz with beetroot concentrate as the base, with the addition of vegetable stock and this has proved to be very popular. This is what I used for the chłodnik.
I sometimes also use barszcz from a carton, which is incredible, tastes home made! However there was none in stock at my local Polish shop last week.
Journey From A Polish Kitchen 
Dear Jadwiga
Do you have a recipe for botwinka. I am growing beetroots for the first time and would like to give this soup a go.
Thank you Grazynka
On Mon, 27 Jul 2020, 08:04 Journey From A Polish Kitchen, wrote:
> jadwiga49hjk posted: “The word chłodnik means coolant and it is a > refreshing start to a meal in summer. The word is often translated as cold > soup and that just does not do it justice. Now my mother never made > chłodnik and with the thoughts of a cold soup, which might be a ” >
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I have not made this myself at botwinki are not really available in England unless you grow them yourself, which I have not done.
I have looked up recipes and I would make it like any barszcz – by cooking the roots, chopped stems and chopped leaves in a small amount of water first then chopping the roots into small cubes and cooking these with stock and lemon juice etc.
I would then season as necessary and also use sugar and lemon juice to get the required sweet/sour combination you like.
I hope that helps.
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Seriously, Poland has the best soups. I miss them so much.
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I heard a Polish chef say – translation here – “a Pole without soup, soon becomes sad”.
How true.
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