Wash the beets carefully, but do not cut or scrape them nor remove any of the small roots at the bottom. If the skin is broken before cooking the flavor and color are much impaired by the water. Some cooks even recommend boiling them without being washed at all, and this plan may be followed by those who care to go to that extreme. Boil the beets in plenty of water. Young beets will cook tender in one hour, but through the winter months four hours will be found none too long. When tender, throw the beets into a pan of cold water, and quickly rub off the skin with the hands ; then slice them, add salt and pepper and plenty of butter, and serve hot. Should the beets be tough and withered, soak them for twenty-four hours in plenty of cold water before trying to cook them ; then boil them four or six hours very slowly. In the late winter when old beets are alone to be had, this will be the only way in which they can be boiled tender, and even this will sometimes fail. The cold beets left over may be covered with vinegar and used as pickles.