Summer beets require about the same care as any other vegetable; that
is, they should be kept in a cool, damp place until they are ready to be
cooked. If they are at all wilted at that time, they may be freshened by
allowing them to stand in a pan of cold water for several hours. Winter
beets, however, should be stored in a cool, dark place where they will
not freeze. A portion of the cellar that has a dirt floor is a very good
place to put the bins containing such vegetables. The woody tissue of
beets that are stored increases as the winter advances, so that any
beets that remain until spring are rather hard and extremely difficult
to cook. In fact, at times it is almost impossible to make them soft
enough to serve, but they can be greatly improved by soaking them in
cold water for a few hours before cooking them. 73. PREPARATION AND
COOKING OF BEETS.--In preparing young beets for cooking, allow an inch
or two of the stems to remain on the beets in order to prevent them from
bleeding. Of course, from winter beets, the entire stem should be
removed, as it will be dried up. Scrub beets of either variety carefully
with a vegetable brush until entirely free from dirt. Then, whether they
are old or young, put them to cook in boiling water without removing
their skins. Allow them to cook until they are soft enough to be pierced
with a fork. This is the best way in which to determine when the beets
are done, for as the length of time required to cook them depends
entirely on their age, no definite time can be stated.
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