Nothing.

That's we got... nothing. We were both on time for service and lecture tonight. No paper, just another day in paradise.

When I was assigned to make the glazed beets tonight, I knew it was going to be good because when you feel a special connection to an ingredient, it makes you want to work that much harder to make it beautiful and let it shine. I wish I could say I felt that way about every single ingredient that has ever passed in front of me in a kitchen but the truth is I haven't, some will always remain special and I will always feel a special drive to do them justice. Fresh squeezed orange juice is one such ingredient. As I watched my friend squeeze the oranges for their liquid gold I just smiled because there is nothing in this world like fresh squeezed orange juice. Nothing.

I gathered the sugar, water, butter, salt, and fresh squeezed orange juice for my glazed beets. I heated up a pan until it was really hot (but not smoking), so that when I poured in the orange juice (6 oz) it would steam instantly and sizzle up into a million bubbles. I stirred in the sugar (8 oz) until it was dissolved and then added some water (maybe 6 oz), and simmered the glaze until it rendered thick, glossy bubbles. I added a good pinch of salt and about 2 oz of butter. The end result was a stunning gold glaze. I tossed cut, cooked, and peeled beets in the glaze and served them with braised kale, spatzle, and a breaded veal cutlet.

When cooking beets they should be left whole and brought to boil in cold, salted, acidulated (1 oz lemon juice or vinegar/ 1 Gallon water) water. Don't peel them because all their betalaine (purple vegetable pigment) will seep out into the water.

CAUTION: eating large amounts of beets will stain your teeth pink. While this may be endearing to some dinner guests, I can also see it being embarassing in some dinner situations. Not that it's not worth it, or that pink teeth aren't cool because they are, but just be aware that its a side effect.