Sweet Beets
(Page 4 of 5)
Many gardeners also grow the Italian heirloom 'Chioggia'
for the beautiful bull's-eye circular pattern in its flesh
(see photo, Page 92). Its flavor is mild and quite sweet,
making it especially popular at farmer's markets —
people who try it for its exceptional looks keep coming
back for more once they've tasted it.
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'Lutz Greenleaf' is truly unique in appearance: It has
heart-shaped roots and large green leaves with little or no
red coloring. Not only does Lutz Greenleaf' win praise for
its exceptionally tender and tasty beet greens, it also s a
top choice for great-tasting roots. Steve Peters,
commercial seed manager for Seeds of Change in New Mexico
and a self-avowed beet lover, sums it up best: "'Lutz is
consistently the best-tasting beet in our trials. It has
the right balance between earthy and sweet, and a rich,
complex, satisfying flavor that lingers in your mouth well
after the initial burst of sweetness."
Whether you prefer your beets as a root vegetable, a cooked
green vegetable, or as an attractive addition to your salad
mix, it's time to explore this nutritious, delicious and
versatile crop.
John Navazio, Ph.D., is the owner of Seed Movement, an
organic seed company in Port Townsend, Washington. He also
is director of education and research at the Organic Seed
Alliance in Port Townsend.
Beet Seed Sources
The numbers listed after the following beet varieties
designate which seed companies sell them:
`Bull's Blood': 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
`Chioggia': 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
`Early Wonder Tall Top': 1, 5
'Golden': 1, 2, 4, 5
'Lutz Greenleaf'/`Winterkeeper': 2, 3, 5
`Pronto': 4
'Red Ace': 1, 5
1. Johnny's Selected Seeds 955 Benton Ave.
Winslow, ME 04901 (207)861-3901
www.johnnyseeds.com
2. The Cook's Garden PO. Box 1889
Southampton, PA 18966 (800) 457-9703
www.cooksgarden.com
3. Seeds of Change PO. Box 15700 Santa Fe,
NM 87592 (888) 762-7333
www.seedsofchange.com
4. John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds 23
Tulip Drive Bantam, CT 06750 (860) 567-6086
www.kitchengardenseeds.com
5. West Coast Seeds 3925 64th St. RR #1
Delta, BC V4K 3N2 (604) 952-8820
www.westcoastseeds.com
An Earthy Experience
Of all the root vegetables, beets usually are described as
the most "earthy tasting." This flavor comes from a
compound called geosmin. Researchers are unsure whether the
beet produces geosmin, or if a microbe called an
actinomycete that lives in symbiosis with the beet in the
soil is responsible. Either way, geosmin is a natural part
of the beet experience. Without it, a beet's flavor would
be shallow and flat.
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