Beetroot consumption in the UK – Part 1

Ukrainians cannot imagine their lives without this vegetable; every family knows it and consumes it, and it is impossible to prepare dishes where beetroot is the main ingredient without it. But in England, it’s completely different! Most residents of the United Kingdom have never even tasted this vegetable and cannot imagine what it looks like! Strange? But it’s a fact!

Today, we will virtually visit supermarkets and markets in England and learn about the culture of beetroot consumption there. Stay with us, it will be interesting!

If you think that beetroot is really hard to find in England, that’s not true. It is available in sufficient quantities but in a completely different form, not like what we are used to seeing. Let’s start our research with fresh beetroot.

Fresh Beetroot

Fresh beetroot, in the form we are used to seeing it, is hard to find. I researched five supermarkets and found fresh beetroot in only one. The price for a 500-gram bunch is 2 pounds. But look at how it looks! It is quite small. The weight of one beetroot is about 70–80 grams. In England, large beets are very rarely grown, and there are many reasons for this. Later, I will tell you why small beets are grown and whether it is profitable for producers.

Most often, fresh beetroot can be found at the market (Green Market), but markets in England are “traveling” markets, which move between different cities on agreed schedules. Once a week, on the same day — for me, that’s Thursday — I always go to the market!

Today at the market, I was lucky to buy a bunch of beetroot for 1.5 pounds, weighing 570 grams with leaves and 450 grams without leaves. The beetroot looks good, uniform, with a rich color, only it was harvested early. Tasty, healthy —  just needs to be boiled  :))

Sometimes at the market, you can buy fresh beetroot of other colors — yellow or pink. The market appearance differs, but the English don’t pay much attention to the appearance, understanding that the main thing is what’s inside.

Pickled Beetroot

In supermarkets, you can most often buy beetroot in pickled, cooked form or in salads. If you look closely, there is even a difference in the marinade! Pickled beetroot can also come in different types.

But let’s start with the form or appearance! Here I understood why and for what purpose they grow such small (in our understanding) beetroot – so that it fits in a jar for pickling! The English call beetroot of this size “baby beet root,” and I also came across the name “cocktail beetroot.” So… I found…

• Pickled beetroot in vinegar – whole and sliced in rings or cut in decorative shapes.
• Pickled beetroot in sweet vinegar – whole or sliced in rings!

I really like how the English take pride in their own production and presentation! On one jar it says – “the best beetroot of Britain,” on others – “all our beets are grown on British soil, using traditional pickling for delicate sweetness and characteristic taste.” The price for a jar of pickled beetroot starts from 1 pound, a 500–700 gram jar costs from 1.5 pounds.

That’s why beetroot of such small size is grown – so it fits freely in the jar! Also, pickled beetroot can be found not only in glass jars but also in plastic boxes, but the shelf life in plastic is only a few weeks. The shelf life of beetroot in jars is 1.5 years or more. This way, vegetable producers extend the shelf life of their products and reliably get profit.

I did not like the taste of pickled beetroot, the strong and sharp vinegar aroma makes it hard to feel the real beetroot taste. I think this was my first and last purchase of beetroot in this form.

Boiled Beetroot

Let’s move on to boiled beetroot! And it turned out to be the cheapest! I think this is related to its shelf life: beetroot that can no longer be stored fresh is sent for heat treatment, which extends its shelf life.

The English really value their time, effort, and money! That’s why they primarily buy boiled beetroot, which is ready to eat. No need to peel, boil, or wait — just open the package and it’s ready!

It turns out to be cheaper to buy boiled beetroot than fresh and simply add it to a dish. In England, the most popular dish with beetroot is “Beetroot with feta cheese.” I will tell you more about dishes and other ways the English consume beetroot in the next article.