Yowie wrote:
Victor Martinez wrote:
wrote:
Actually, they taste a lot alike, too. I think they are related.
Wikipedia seems to contradict itself regarding them... both are Beta
vulgaris, but the taxonomy is different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chard

Same species, different subspecies.

What I know as "Silverbeet" and you folks might know as "Chard", "Swiss
Chard" or "Perpetual Spinach" (the leaves and stem are eaten) is the Beta
Vulgaris subspecies cicla. Silverbeet is often substituted for Spinach here,
as its often too warm & dry to grow spinach in the back yard, but silverbeet
grows really well (and tastes very similar when cooked).

What I know as "beetroot" and you folks simply know as "beets" is Beta
Vulgaris subspecies Vulgaris, has a deep purple, fleshy root similar in
shape to a turnip. In Australia, we tend to eat the root sliced and pickled
in salads and on hamburgers. We don't eat the leaves.

Other subspecies include "sugar beets", used to produce sugar, and "mangold"
or "wurzel" used for animal fodder.


Here, mangold is also used by humans. It's a lot like spinach. Mum grows
it on the island.

I bought a bunch of small fresh beets at the farmer's market the other
day. For once, they had beautiful fresh leaves (they're usually wilted),
and I thought I'd try them since I've read about beet greens (we don't
usually use them here, either). So I found a very simple recipe online
and sauteed the greens with some onion, salt and pepper. I was really
looking forward to a new experience. It was a total let-down. Not good
at all. Maybe you're supposed to use younger leaves?

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.