 In the 1930s , when most American hotels refused to accept Jewish guests due to widespread anti @-@ Semitism , New York Jews began flocking to Jewish @-@ owned resorts in the Catskill Mountains for their summer vacations . The area grew into a major center of Jewish entertainment , with restaurants offering all @-@ you @-@ can @-@ eat Ashkenazi Jewish fare , including copious amounts of borscht . Grossinger 's , one of the largest resorts , served borscht throughout the day , every day of the year . The region became known , initially in derision , as the " Borscht Belt " , reinforcing the popular association between borscht and American Jewish culture . As most visitors arrived in the summertime , the borscht was typically served cold . Marc Gold was one of its largest suppliers , producing 1 @,@ 750 short tons ( 1 @,@ 590 t ) a year in his business 's heyday . Gold 's borscht consists of puréed beetroots seasoned with sugar , salt and citric acid ; it is usually blended with sour cream and served as a refreshing beverage , more aptly described as a " beet smoothie " . Such kind of " purplish , watery broth " is , according to Nikolai Burlakoff , author of The World of Russian Borsch , " associated in America with borsch , in general , and Jewish borsch in particular . " 
