Chiogga Beets

From the Italian town of Chiogga, in the early nineteenth century, came a festive, red and white striped, beet reminiscent of candy canes.  The cooks of the town were known for their flavorful, upscale cooking, and though this heirloom beet variety was not readily accepted when introduced to the United States in the 1840s, chefs have always prized the mild, sweet Chiogga beets.

Though Chiogga beets are primarily eaten raw because their red and white rings are more distinctive before cooking, roasting Chioggas produces a rich sweet, salty flavor when the beets are sliced one-fourth of an inch thick, spread on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, drizzled with a little olive oil, and roasted on the bottom rack of the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. They can be served salted, or left unsalted by personal preference.

And as promised, here are two more ways to use Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce. The first one is to add a half teaspoon of celery seed and fourth teaspoon of dried dill weed to 3 tablespoons of Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce. This new variation of seasoned sauce is delicious tossed with a cup of cooked, verigated sliced carrots. Salt to taste, and multiply up as much sauce as needed for as many cups of cooked carrots as you like. Hint: one cup of carrots and sauce can easily be consumed by one!

Another use for Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce is to add grated fresh ginger and half the amount of Toasted Sesame Oil as measured sauce. Shake the sauce well, and wahlah—it's a yummy salad dressing!