The Case For Beets

I made some beets today.

But not your regular, run-of-the-mill, vibrant fuchsia-colored, earthy, root vegetable.

No, sir. These were organic, locally grown, golden beets that I bought yesterday at Whole Foods for 99 cents a bundle. I just couldn't resist!

Now, I know what you're thinking. Beets? Is this really something to get worked up over? Even the golden ones?

It's usually the reaction I get when I gush over them. People look at me strange. Or they make faces because they themselves are not particularly fond of the beautifully bright red, succulent treat.

Well, I used to be one of you. I remember back in high school - my friend Safiya worked as a server at Steak & Ale. She would tell us stories during band practice about when the old folks would come in for the earlybird and get all cantankerous with her when the salad bar ran out...of beets? I was always in disbelief! Why would anyone get so worked up over a stupid vegetable that no one likes? At the time I just sort of accepted this unusual behavior as "just something old people do" - you know, get all worked up over minutia.

But now I realize that old people are wiser than the rest of us.

My friend Rachael turned me on to them. Or rather the idea of them. It was her favorite food and she spoke well of them claiming that eating beets would prolong death, indefinitely. She insisted that the beet's naturally occurring color was the elixir of immortality. She even let me borrow her copy of Tom Robbin's Jitterbug Perfume to inspire me. I still resisted.

It wasn't until I was living at Taliesin in Wisconsin that I became enraptured in their magic spell. You see, we were growing practically every vegetable known to man in our community garden, and beets were no exception.

The beets were fascinating to watch grow because they sort of popped up out of the ground very suddenly. It was almost as though they informed you when they were ready to be harvested; a gift. Who was I to deny them the pleasure?

But the fun didn't stop there. Our cook Madalena was very excited about the beets and their having been unleashed from the garden and arriving to the kitchen. I didn't exactly share her enthusiasm, but later delighted in eating them as I did anything-so-grown-with-love  brought from our garden.

A few months later I became a house-husband at my friend Kimberly's place in Oregon. I did all the grocery shopping and cooked my woman dinner when she arrived home from work. I never wanted to run out of new and exciting recipes for us to try so I bought beets for the first time. It was at that point when I realized I had no idea how to make them. I had seen bits and pieces of the process, but was never invested enough to suddenly cook them.

Luckily, Madalena was on call - and I emailed her for the magic recipe. She assured me that it was simple.

And in fact it is - easy and fun. All one must do to make a mighty fine beet is to cut off the leaves. Scrub the skin free of any remaining dirt. Boil a large pot full of water taking into consideration that the beets will need to be fully submerged. Though it is tempting, do not cut off the top or the skinny extremity at the bottom. If you do, the beets will loose their color and essential eternal life-granting nutrients. Cook for 30-45 minutes depending on their size. If you can easily stick a fork into one then they are surely done. Drain into a strainer and allow to cool for a few minutes before peeling.

Peeling is my favorite part of this process. I love how the skin just wipes away when you rub your fingers over it. Of course they turn magenta but its so worth it! Cut into pieces. At this point the beets are begging for your enjoyment of their robust, earthy goodness. Lately, I have been mixing them with a freshly chopped shallot clove and drip a little organic ginger-sesame dressing. Delicious.

Now beets are kind of like sushi - in that, its the tasty treat that doesn't stop giving. However unlike sushi where you find sesame seeds or masago in your teeth for hours afterwords, beets remain with you for a day or so. They are digestively intriguing. Try the red ones, you'll see what I mean.

Now these golden beauties I had today, I should mention were sweeter and less intense then red beets. Somehow, I doubt there will be any significant change in color to my pee. I'm sure to find out for certain in the morning. I don't know where I'm going with this.

Comments

[Me]

I told Greg you wrote a Blog about beets. His response:
"Of course he did."
Loves ya Northeast style.

[Julie]

wow. I hope if I come live with you, you will make me beets!!!