Gold Cylindra Beets
Estimated Inventory, bunch : 0
Description/Taste
Gold Cylindra beets vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions and age at harvest. The roots average 7 to 20 centimeters in length and 4 to 5 centimeters in diameter and typically showcase an elongated, straight, slender shape. The cylindrical roots are slightly tapered at the end and extend into a thin taproot covered in fine root hairs. The root’s surface is smooth, textured, firm, and taut, displaying orange, golden-yellow, and orange-yellow hues. Gold Cylindra beets also bear upright, pale green stems that produce broad, pliable, and crinkled green leaves. Underneath the root’s surface, the flesh is dense, low in fiber, and pale yellow with a snappy, crunchy, and tender consistency. Gold Cylindra beets have a mild, sweet, and earthy taste, softening in texture and flavor when cooked. The beet greens are also edible with a vegetal, earthy taste and are known to be sweeter than other varieties of beet greens.
Seasons/Availability
Gold Cylindra beets are available year-round.
Current Facts
Gold Cylindra beets, botanically classified as Beta vulgaris, are an elongated variety belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. The yellow-orange roots were selectively bred for improved characteristics, specifically for their shape, coloring, texture, and flavor. Gold Cylindra beets are a specialty cultivar grown in gardens as a fresh culinary ingredient and are also processed for canning and pickling. The variety was named for its distinct coloring and cylindrical shape and is valued by growers for its easy-to-grow nature. Gold Cylindra beets have a uniform shape, allowing for faster processing, and the roots produce similarly-sized slices when cut, making them a choice cultivar for chefs and home cooks. In the modern day, Gold Cylindra beets are primarily localized to home gardens and farmer’s markets throughout North America, Europe, and sometimes Asia. The variety can be planted in small spaces due to its straight shape and has a sweet, earthy taste, said to be sweeter than its red counterpart. Both the roots and leaves are edible in this variety and are utilized in a wide array of fresh or cooked culinary dishes.
Nutritional Value
Gold Cylindra beets have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Beets, in general, are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, calcium to protect bones and teeth, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and magnesium to control nerve functions. Beets also provide vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, and other nutrients, including manganese, zinc, copper, phosphorus, thiamine, folate, and riboflavin.
Applications
Gold Cylindra beets have a sweet, earthy flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety’s skin is smooth and easy to peel, making it simple to prepare for recipes. It is important to note that gold beets do not secrete juices that stain as much as red varieties, but care should still be taken when prepping the roots. Peeled Gold Cylindra beets can be shredded raw into salads and slaws, adding a crunchy texture and earthy taste to dishes. Raw beets can also be blended into juices and consumed as a health drink. In addition to fresh preparations, Gold Cylindra beets develop a tender, caramelized texture when roasted and are combined with herbs, dressings, and cheeses as a savor-sweet dish. Cooked Gold Cylindra beets can also be added to salads, grain bowls, vegetable medleys, or rice dishes. Cylindra beets can be simmered into soups or steamed as a simple method. In Denmark, Cylindra-style beets are popularly pickled and served as a topping with pate on smorrebrod, a type of open-faced sandwich. Smorrebrod traditionally consists of a slice of dense rye bread called rubrod slathered in butter and layered with specific toppings to create an aesthetically pleasing and flavorful sandwich. Beyond fresh and cooked preparations, Gold Cylindra beets are canned and sold as a shelf-stable food item. The leafy greens are also edible and can be mixed into salads, sauteed as a side dish, or stir-fried into rice and noodle dishes. Gold Cylindra beets pair well with nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, Dijon mustard, and herbs such as basil, rosemary, and mint. Whole Gold Cylindra beets will keep up to five days when stored in the refrigerator with the tops removed. They can also be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a cellar. The tops must be removed to protect the roots from losing moisture, and the leaves have a short shelf life, lasting only for a day or two. Once cooked, the beets should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for a few additional days. Cylindra beets can also be frozen for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Cylindra beets are favored for their elongated, mostly uniform nature, allowing them to be cut into similarly sized slices. In Europe, cylindrical varieties have often acquired the nickname “butter slicer” beets, meaning they are enjoyed sliced on top of bread and butter. Cylindra beets are also popularly pickled as a tangy condiment. In Denmark, pickled beets are traditionally served as an accompaniment to a wide array of savory meals and provide a sweet, sour, and salty taste. One of their most notable uses is as an ingredient in the traditional Danish recipe, sillsallet. This dish roughly translates to English to mean “herring salad” and is consumed during Christmas and New Year celebrations as a superstition. Eating pickled herring dishes at midnight on New Year’s Eve is said to bring good luck for the entire year ahead. Sillsallet is also eaten alongside other dishes during Christmas smorgasbord. The cold salad is comprised of beets, apples, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, onion, dill pickles, and pickled herring. Danish Christmas smorgasbord involves several rounds of eating, and the salads like sillsallet offer a light reprieve from other heavier dishes.
Geography/History
Beet varieties, a part of Beta vulgaris, are thought to be descendants of the sea beet, a plant that grows wild along the coasts of the Mediterranean and Western Asia. Sea beets date back to ancient times and were first domesticated in these regions, mainly for their leaves. Over time, sea beets were continually bred for select traits, developing early varieties with swollen, edible roots. Early beet cultivars were utilized for their roots as a culinary item in the Roman Empire, and the first recipes for the roots appeared around the 3rd century CE. Additional breeding occurred during this time, further developing beets, and the beets were eventually spread throughout Europe and Asia. Beet cultivation began extensively throughout Europe in the 15th century, and by the 19th century, beets were found in various sizes, colors, and shapes, similar to the types we have in the present day. The history of Gold Cylindra beets is mostly unknown. There are several theories of Cylindra beet's arrival in markets. One theory claims the variety is of Danish descent, dating back to the 1880s, while another theory points to their first appearance in a French catalog in 1968-69. Other sources say they may have been developed in England, with records in a 19th-century garden in Cornwall. Regardless of these murky origins, Cylindra beets have remained primarily a home garden variety. The elongated roots are sold through online seed catalogs and are grown in gardens in Europe, North America, and Asia. Gold Cylindra beets are considered a rarer variety than red cylindra beets, making them challenging to find. The variety is sometimes seen at farmer’s markets or offered through select distributors as a specialty beet.
