This recipe is as close to my late grandma's as I can recall. Although she had no mother to teach her cooking, went to Polish school before WWII, and spent her adolescent years among Polish/Ukrainian girls in Germany as an Ost-arbeiter, she still was the best cook when it came to traditional (Central-) Ukrainian cuisine. So, this borsch is still what I'd call Naddnipryanski Ukrainian due to number of ingredients and various cooking methods involved. I am also used to meatless borsch as we were not so spoiled in the waning days of the evil empire and meat was somewhat of a luxury to us, plus grandma preferred vegetarian borsch because it would stay fresh for much longer, unlike borsch with meat. My cooking was also heavily influenced by my time in NY where I've tried borsch in many a restaurant/diner/friend's home. Thanks to all my friends and places in NY.