Chioggia Beetroot

[Primrose]

Has anybody else grown the Chioggia beetroot which was illustrated on the packet with separate pink and white rings, and which I think came as a KG Freebie?

I've grown some lovely sized specimens but I was disappointed to find they don't have rings at all - half of the bulb is pink and half is white. However, it has a much sweeter taste than any other variety of beetroot I've grown in the past.

[Bren]

Primrose I grew them as you said they were a freebee, took 1/2 doz home from the plot last week, cooked them and didn't like the look of them very anemic(not sure of spelling) looking gave some to my daughter-in -law and neither of us liked them, they seemed to cook quicker than the boltardy ones.I won't be growing them again.
Bren

[Chantal]

I've grown them for a few years (Seeds of Italy) and love them. They've done exactly what it says on the packet, good taste too although the colours run when cooked.

I don't recall a free packet

[PLUMPUDDING]

I grew them a couple of years ago along with the golden variety. I don't think they taste as good as Boltardy or Sanguinea, but they were OK. The golden one was very sweet and a nice contrast to the other colours in a salad. I wonder if different growing conditions affect the colour of the rings in Chioggia? I think mine ended up a wishy washy pink when cooked.

[elsakrogh]

Alas, they only have the beautiful white and pink rings when raw - turn a disappointing pale rose when cooked. Can be used raw in salads, with a spicy dressing I suppose

[Primrose]

I haven't cut any of mine up raw to see if they have the rings intact but will try doing that to one of them and see if it works in a salad. I perhaps should have realised that the way beetroot colour runs and stains, the rings wouldn't have remained intact once cooked.

[Chantal]

I've realised that if you roast Chioggia beetroot it retains the pink and white stripes

[Primrose]

We roasted some Chioggia the other day with other winter vegetables and the rings unfortunately turned into a pink blur. Now they're a little older and being stored in dry compost they seem to have lost some of their earlier sweetness. We're currently slicing them very thinly & chopping into matchstick size sticks to sprinkle into salads where the red and white stripes look quite decorative. Packets of them are currently being offered free in our local garden centre if you buy two other Thompson & Morgan seed packets. The leaves are delicious cooked as spinach though and don't taste at all of beetroot.