This section is from the book "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book", by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Also available from Amazon: Original 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.
Wash, and cook whole in boiling water until soft; time required being from one to four hours. Old beets will never be tender, no matter how long they may be cooked. Drain, and put in cold water that skins may be easily removed. Serve cut in quarters or slices.
4 hot boiled beets 3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cut beets in one-fourth inch slices, add butter, sugar, and salt; reheat for serving.
Pickled Beets Slice cold boiled beets and cover with vinegar.
Wash beets, and cook in boiling salted water until soft. Drain, and reserve one-half cup water in which beets were cooked. Plunge into cold water, rub off skins and cut into cubes. Reheat in .
Sour Sauce. Melt two tablespoons butter, add two tablespoons flour, and pour on the beet water. Add one-fourth cup, each, vinegar and cream, one teaspoon sugar, one-half teaspoon salt, and a few grains pepper.
Wash twelve small beets, cook in boiling water until soft, remove skins, and cut beets in thin slices, small cubes, or fancy shapes, using French vegetable cutter. Mix one-half cup sugar and one-half tablespoon corn-starch. Add one-half cup vinegar and let boil five minutes. Pour over beets, and let stand on back of range one-half hour. Just before serving add two tablespoons butter.
 
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