My hubby, Dave, just adores beets. It used to be just the pickled canned type – before he met me, that is – and he’d open a can of beets and eat the whole thing in about 10 minutes. A bachelor’s diet, you know. He also ate pickled herring in sour cream, and almost always had a jar of it in his refrigerator with Ritz crackers in the pantry. He didn’t know how to cook much. His son was living with him (Powell was about 11 or 12 then and had moved in with Dave about 6 months before we met), so he did have to learn to cook just a few things. He could do hot dogs, dial-up pizza, and he did know how to grill a steak and chicken. And country-style ribs with a generic-brand BBQ sauce slathered on.
A few days after I met him (on a blind date on May 6th – we just celebrated the the 29th anniversary of the day we met) I invited him to my house for a brunch I was throwing for a group of friends. Afterwards he and I ended up spending the remainder of the day together, walking on the beach, taking in a “set” at a jazz restaurant that was popular in Newport Beach at that time. Then he asked if I’d like to come to his house and he’d cook dinner. I had a daughter at home, but my roommate (a gal friend) was watching her that evening so I was able to say yes.
He’d explained that his son was coming home from a weekend away and he needed to be there to fix dinner anyway. So he stopped at a meat market, bought steaks, stopped at a market and bought Idaho potatoes, sour cream, and makings for a salad. At his home he started working in the kitchen. I was so impressed (having no clue at that point that I was going to see the complete extent of his cooking repertoire within the next couple of weeks). I thought he was adept in the kitchen. I sat on a bar stool and watched as he put the potatoes in the oven, as he cut up some greens and veggies for a salad. I sat there, thinking that a man in his own kitchen probably should be left alone. Little cupids were telling me it would be so much fun to cook with this man – together in a kitchen. So, he grilled the steak (a good one, delicious) and we had meat, potato and salad with a bottled dressing that he was crazy about – Catalina dressing. It’s no longer made.
We enjoyed the dinner, I talked with his son quite a bit, and then Dave made a pot of coffee which we shared. We talked more. And talked. And talked. And found that we had more and more in common. Well, it goes on from there, and we’ve been married for 27 years.
Meanwhile, back to beets. I finally got Dave to give up canned pickled beets. I mean, he’s a Type 1 diabetic – he should never be eating pickled (sugar sweetened) beets except in very small quantities. He looks for beets at salad bars, and would probably love it if I kept a can or two in the pantry. But I’m not enamored with canned beets like he is. So he loves it when I make them for him from scratch. The other day I saw some nice young red beets at the market. And I found a recipe I thought I could adapt. Yes, I had an orange in the kitchen. Yes, I had fresh herbs. I had most of the ingredients.
So, I made this recipe. And it was good. Very good. Dave nearly licked the plate, of course. He got the few leftovers the next night, and nearly licked the refrigerator container they were in. It made me feel guilty that I don’t make them for him more often. I mean, I learned on that first dinner date that he was in love with beets. A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Therefore, is it a way to keep your man’s heart if you make beets? You know the drill! But I forget. After 29 years of dating and 27 years of marriage you’d think I’d remember a real basic fact: my husband adores beets!
So zipping back to those early weeks of our relationship in 1981, he cooked dinner for me several times – he made country ribs. And baked potatoes. He made grilled chicken. And baked potatoes. He made steak. And baked potatoes. Again. And he made one other chicken one-pot meal with zucchini and other vegetables (that he later told me he’s just learned to make a week or so before we met). It was delicious, by the way. It’s a darned good thing that by then I’d fallen head over heels in love with him. Because that was IT. That was his entire cooking rotation. And I soon found out he really didn’t know a thing about being in the kitchen. No question he enjoyed eating – we found lots of commonality when we discussed food and ate out at good restaurants – but he knew next to nothing about how to cook. In the ensuing years, very little about that has changed (and it’s okay). He still can’t cook. Doesn’t want to cook (unless it’s as a grill-meister). And it’s worked out just fine.
Moral of the story: cook more beets (insert words for your significant other’s favorite food)!
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Orange Glazed Beets
Serving Size: 10
NOTES: Don’t overdo the orange zest – it could add a bitter aftertaste. You just want enough to decorate the tops of the beets.
2 1/2 pounds beets — red or gold, tops trimmed
8 fluid ounces chicken stock
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons sugar — or half as much honey or agave nectar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar — fruit type (sweeter, thicker)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt — or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper — ground
1 teaspoon orange zest — grated
3 tablespoons fresh mint — julienned
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut off beet tops so there is about an inch of tops. Wash beets and place them in a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (use double layer if using thinner type). Seal tightly and place in oven for about an hour, until the beets are barely cooked through.
3. Allow to cool; cut off the top and bottom, then remove skin (either with your hands or using a potato peeler). Slice the beets into 1/8 inch slices and set aside.
4. In a saute pan heat the stock, orange juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes and it’s reduced by about half. Add balsamic vinegar and butter. Add the beets and bring back up to a simmer. Spoon the glaze over the beets so they have all been doused with the fluid. Cover and simmer for about 4-8 minutes, until the beets are cooked through and most of the glaze has evaporated. If there is still too much liquid, leave lid off and simmer until there is very little liquid left in the pan. Continue to bathe the beet slices in the glaze if there is enough to do so. Ideally, turn the beets over once during this cooking time (and watch that they don’t splatter juice). Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. When ready to serve carefully move the beet slices to a plain plate and garnish with fresh mint and orange zest.
Per Serving: 65 Calories; 2g Fat (33.0% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 382mg Sodium.
A year ago: Skirt Steak Salad with Tomatoes & Croutons
Two years ago: Green Salad with Chevre Dressing
Three years ago: Cauliflower, Bacon & Mushrooms
Melynda
said on May 12th, 2010:
Wonderful story, and the beets look yummy.
I had fun writing up that romantic history. Thanks, Melynda! . . . carolyn t
Kathleen Heckathorn
said on May 12th, 2010:
Carolyn, I love that story. So romantic!
Thanks, Kathleen. It still is a great romance, I’m happy to say. . . carolyn t
Sharda
said on May 7th, 2018:
Wow such a cute romantic story of urs , I enjoyed reading it like a Novel, I am happy that U both r Happy , Enjoy 72 more years Together
Thank you Sharda. I went back and re-read my beet story and relived a few of those happy memories. Alas, my dear hubby passed away 4 years ago after a stroke. I still miss him every day. Thanks for visiting my blog. . . Carolyn T