“They put hair on your chest,” my hairy-chested father told my sister and I when we were tiny. We squealed and turned our noses up at his offering.
“They taste like candy,” he told my red-headed niece waving a slice of beet at her.
“You like candy?’ she asked. Then added, “I don’t like candy.”
All this unfolded in my mind several years ago as I watched happy shoppers leave the farmer’s market, their bags overflowing with beets with their greens attached. What do they know that I don’t, I wondered, and I walked boldly up to a vendor and bought my first bunch of beets, greens attached.
It has been many years since I discovered the earthy glory of the humble beet. I don’t eat them often but when I do, I really enjoy them. Those first beets were traditional red beets that I boiled, then peeled wearing rubber gloves. Today, I dropped at the grocery store and picked a nice bunch of golden beets, my new favorites.
They taste earthier than candy and have yet to put hair on my chest, but they bring back memories my dad and the way he teased us while eating beets.
booksandbassets 
I don’t eat beets very often either, but I love pickled beets especially! Loved your memories of your father.
Your words brought me here, Adrienne. I love beets, but as a child, no way. I wonder where that saying came from, “they’ll put hair on your chest!” And how would it help to get young girls to eat something? I love that you connected to a memory of your father.
Pickled beets are yum! I’ve never had them any other way, but have been told roasted ones are good too. They do scare me a bit with the color so permanent.
This deserves consideration for line of the day: ” ‘They put hair on your chest,’ my hairy-chested father told my sister and I when we were tiny.” Thanks for the smile!
I will also use this comment to endorse heartily the deliciousness of roasted beets. (Wrap unpeeled ones in aluminum foil. Toss in a 400-degree oven for 40-60 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Cool, peel, chop, and add jewels to salads or other applications.)
Yum! My family and I were just discussing how it takes dedication to cook your own beets (I often just go for canned). But the golden ones are sooo nice!
I admit that I am not a fan of beets…never was. Kathy loves them boiled and dripping with butter. To me they conjure up reed beet soup my grandmother would make. Never liked it.
I love beets! I make them with apples and goat cheese in a little salad–so yummy! What a great beginning of spring post–I’m glad you finally came around to the beet team!
You beet story brought me right back to my dad who grew them in our back yard. He was the only one who ate them..unless mom put them in the hash to turn it into “red flannel hash! Now I love their earthy notes.
Thanks for the memories!
This past summer I was at a little bistro that had a beet soup that was to die for! When I grew up beets only came a little mushy in a can. I had no idea how great they could be. Have you had beet chips? Another treat!! And I’m sure they are healthy!