Here goes…
My name is PJ and I’m addicted to beetroot.
I’ve been so welcomed and encouraged into the world of blogging that I feel the need to reveal a little more of the real me – but I warn you that you may never view my posts in the same way again!
I’ve always had an overactive imagination and have managed to mostly restrain the crazy for the sake of this blog. The crazy is seeping out – you have been warned.
My infatuation started many years ago when I was so small that I have no memory of this story. My Mum likes to remind me, and anyone else who will listen, about the time she found me in the cupboard under the stairs munching my way through a whole jar of pickled beetroot. There were bright pink stains everywhere and I was inconsolable when she tried to remove me from my new found favourite snack. I was promptly put in the bath and scrubbed extremely well but all I wanted was more beetroot!
This episode took a less happy turn when I started to pee dark pink and my Mum rushed me to the doctor thinking it was blood – she was highly embarrassed when he asked if I’d consumed a lot of beetroot recently!?! An unfortunate but harmless side effect of too many beets…
So, all these years later, I manage to keep my addiction under control favouring the more subtle roast beetroot to the pickled variety (although grown up me has now discovered the joys of balsamic…). I love grated beetroot in salads and have you tried beetroot and chocolate cake? Mmmmm.
Recipe from http://www.extra-relish.com
The grown up me still finds beetroot alluring for many reasons, I mean, talk about the bad boys of the vegetable world… beetroot is deliciously dark, needs to be handled with care and is also prone to bolt when you least expect it!
On Saturday though I was transported to beetroot heaven – did you know that beetroot goes beautifully with so many ingredients such as oranges, thyme, peppercorns, horseradish or bay? It also mixes beautifully with the songs from the Phantom of the Opera. You see, whilst dealing with this devilish root vegetable I have found that it even has it’s own soundtrack….
Life is always better when most senses are engaged so why not match music to food just as you would wine! Crazy – moi? I’m sure there must be sympathisers out there….
The Pyjama Gardener 
Now that cake looks scrummy! I also love beetroot, but my addicitions are still a secret! … Love the post – feel I know you much better now! 😉
Thanks Cathy… you’ve reassured me 🙂
Thought I had the beetroot addiction under control – but that cake looks so good… Have you tried baking them with cream, black pepper and parmesan?
No but sounds gorgeous… and cream is a less healthy addiction of mine!
There’s no shame in loving beetroot! I love it, too, though my crop this year has not been doing to well. I haven’t ventured very far in the culinary department, mostly eating it either in sandwiches or as a salad with mayonnaise. Oh and borsch, which has to be one of my favourite soups 🙂
Believe, it or not, I’ve eaten beetroot many ways but have never had Borsch. Another recipe for my wish list!
It’s a Russian beetroot soup with carrots (with onion, all chopped into biggish pieces). Very simple to make.. one of my ambitions is to be able to grow beetroot and carrots big enough to make it from my own produce.
Hi PJ, Welcome to Beetroot Anonymous! 🙂 Oh gee, I couldn’t help myself. Of course, it won’t make any sense if you don’t have Alcoholics Anonymous in England. I first encountered grated beet root in a restaurant salad and loved it.
We have AA here too… maybe we should start Beetroot Anonymous? I may need more than a 12 step programme though as I started my addiction at a very early age.
PJG what a wonderful story. I’m so glad you shared. Here is one of my confessions: I can eat an entire head of cabbage in one sitting. (You can leave the room now…you’ve been warned).
I hope you’ll keep these forthright and honest posts coming. People love learning about the real you.
Brilliant! Cabbage isn’t a vegetable that would automatically spring to mind when talking about vegetable addictions 🙂 Thanks for making me feel so much better ha ha ha x
🙂
Oh dear – you do have a problem – but a nice one. Last year I made beetroot chutney and it was so good I am definitely making it again this year.
I never have enough spare beetroot to make chutney but I’m going to plant more next year!
Nice beetroot confession! I’ve made a lot of beetroot seed cakes and this is the first year I’m growing my own (beetroot, not cake) so I hope they turn out as well as yours.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to grow cakes? I’ve not tried the beetroot seed variety but sounds delicious!
Your choc beetroot cake looks delicious so I will try that when I have the beets.
I’ve been wanting to make a chocolate beet cake. Unfortunately it’s been so hot here I can’t bear to turn on the oven! I’m going to make one just as soon as it cools of a bit.
Best to keep cool and save the baking until cooler times 🙂
What a great post!
I too want to confess – beetroot isn’t one of my favourites.
It’s OK if you dress it up with lemon, olive oils and black pepper, or fancy vinegars or horseradish or tomatoes and chilli or anything! So why do I grow so much?
It has a magical lure that ensnares even those who don’t particularly like it!
Great story and great cake.
I don’t grow beets because we don’t really eat them. Maybe we would if we grew them? I must make that cake though! It looks awesome! Loved this post PJ! 🙂
Each year I’m going to grow something that I don’t particularly like to see if I can re-educate my taste buds. This year was the great broad bean experiment and now I’m a convert… so give it a go!
May I join the Beetroot Anonymous? I love them! Sadly I haven’t got the space to grow them but my supermarket got fresh and pickled any time of year. I make vegetarian burgers with beetroot, carrots, peanut butter and herbs, Yum! And fishcakes with beetroot and chocolate cake with beetroot has been favourites of mine for years. I also use grated beetroot in my salad. Is there anything you can’t use beetroot with??!
You’re most welcome to the club! I’ve not tried beetroot in fishcakes…. they sound lovely x
Yes! I have tried Beetroot and Chocolate together in a cake. Delicious!
No! I haven’t tried beetroot and choc cake, I will! My hubbys Mum took him to the doctors for peeing beet too 🙂
It’s nice to know my Mum wasn’t alone! I’ve learnt to limit myself now I’m older!
Funny story and the cake sounds amazing!! Is beetroot the same thing as beets? They look it in the picture but I guess I am not familiar with calling it that. (?)
Hi Dianne! Yes, they’re beets… one of the great things about blogging is discovering all the different names for things in different countries. The cake is lovely and moist x
Awesome! Now I am really excited!