This is the scene that greeted me this morning. And then there will be BEETS! It won’t be long until these little beauties come fresh to a store or garden near you. Beets are pretty versatile little amaranths. They can be boiled, steamed, roasted or pickled. Even raw they can be shredded and eaten on or as a salad. In New Zealand and Australia it is popular to throw one on a hamburger. Watch your aim, please. And their greens make delicious, well, er . . . greens. You know, like spinach. Tasty and nutritious from stem to stern! At New Year’s we were spending the weekend with friends, Roy and Roberta (Slug and Bert), in Roswell, New Mexico. “Hi, Bert!!!” Have to give a big shout out to my BFF. Anyhoo, Roberta gave me a jar of her homemade Pickled Beets to take home. What a gift!! We got home and, as much as we tried to ration them, they were gobbled up. And they were gone. Long gone. No more. Nada. Bye, bye. . . *sniff* . . . The 40W lightbulb on top of my head began to flicker. I decided right then I would have to break down and learn how to can. Ugh. I tell you, learning something new ain’t for sissies. But you’ve just gotta jump in with both feet and do it! So, I did. Here’s my beauties. Nope, you’re not seeing things. Those are pickled Golden Beets in the middle. Not sure if they really have a milder, more buttery flavor, or if the voices in my head (and my eyes) have tricked my gray matter into thinking that. So, try them and let me know. Did you know, a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dish is Red Beet Eggs. Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs pickle juice and let them marinate until the eggs turn a deep pink-red color. OMWord! They are not only really pretty, but great tasting. Kinda like a deviled egg, . . . but not. Sorry, I digress. Anyway, I was so excited that I ran out and bought a real canning pot. The first go around was pretty makeshift, but my seals sealed and my beets pickled and all was right with the world. I know your salivary glands are working overtime just thinking of these tangy sweet nuggets. Pickled Beets adapted from “Farm Journal Freezing and Canning Cookbook – Prize […]
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