A Taste of the Old Country...

Vintage Rose

found this on the flip side.

I've had this recipe taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet for years.

Rose sent it to me in the mid-90s after I told her about a Polish

meal we'd just had that included dill pickle soup. We ate it

for the first time at the Polish Village Cafe (the PVC) in Hamtramck,

a struggling city in the shadow of Detroit that is also known as

"Little Poland" -- though if the truth be told, there are more Bangladeshis

living there now than Poles. (Jason and Mira reside in Hamtramck,
by the way, representing another trend, that is, a segment of young, white,
 formerly-suburban residents making their way back toward Detroit, no
doubt because of the PVC's dill pickle soup.)

The PVC is a classic neighborhood gathering spot, very old-fashioned

with ridiculously low prices and a warm ethnic atmosphere that

money just can't buy. (The last time he was in town, Steve Marion insisted

on eating here again, as he vividly recalled the first time several months

earlier. And we all know how picky Steven is about his food -- no doubt

more so than ever upon his return from India.)

Anyway, when I was telling Rose about the soup (which for us was a novelty --

dill pickle soup?) and how we had all (including the girls!) enjoyed it immensely,

she said that her mother, an immigrant from Eastern Europe, used to make it.
  In fact, when Rose was growing up on the  farm in Edinboro, PA, the family
 ate it often (which might explain why she no longer liked it).

She also said that she had a recipe and promised to send it me. She then

painstakingly wrote it out, mailed it off, and I’ve had it ever since.

NOTE:  Depending on one's dietary restrictions, other additions to

 this recipe include a T or two of butter and a half-cup of heavy cream
 or half-and-half added at the end (along with the sour cream) -- or not. 
Just depends on how rich you're willing to go.
 

Also, I often smooth it out with a stick blender or potato masher,
 leaving a few chunks of potato and pickle, but this is not necessary either.
Additionally, you can garnish with fresh dill, if you have it on hand.
And finally, for the hopeless carnivore, some slices of cooked
kielbasa can be tossed on top for that meaty finish.   

Smacznego!

Rose's Dill Pickle Soup