Beets often get a bad rap. Especially if you’ve only tried them canned and swimming in heavy syrup, or when they haven’t been cleaned well and taste a lot like the dirt they came from. But when prepared properly, these root vegetables have sweet earthy flavors that pack a punch when smoked, grilled, steamed or even when eaten raw. Plus, they’re incredibly good for you and interesting to cook with as they soak up the flavors of other ingredients just like a sponge.
In Arroyo Grande, Chris Edwards plants beet seeds on the Rutiz Family Farm all year-round. It takes 90 days for the root vegetables to become the size of tennis balls. Then Edwards pulls them from the ground by hand and brings the beets to market.