It was another picture perfect day here in Idaho! However, as summer is waning and we are heading into fall it seemed that I best get out and pluck a few more things from my garden. I had planted gold heirloom beets as well as traditional reds. Up they came and into the oven for a nice roast. I had a plan! My cookbook Sunlight Cafe by Mollie Katzen (http://www.molliekatzen.com/) contained a recipe for Beet, Lemon and Ginger Marmalade that sounded absolutely scrumptious.
While I was peeling my roasted beets I began to marvel at the wonderful colors produced and started thinking of using the delicious beets to dye wool for my felt work...One of my instructors, Lisa Klakulak (http://www.strongfelt.com/) shared her knowledge and use of natural dyes in class this June. It was one of those 'small world' things because I had just returned from a trip to Taos, New Mexico about 10 days earlier. While there I made a point to find all the fiber shops...one such shop was La Lana Wools. And lo and behold that is the exact shop that Lisa worked in after college. She was their dye person for several years! If you go to the shop website (http://www.lalanawools.com/) there is a link to a pdf file that lists the natural dyes they make and sell. Now wouldn't these amber and ruby colored beets make beautiful fiber for a scarf or shawl?
I finished peeling and set about cutting beets...again I thrilled at the rich golden hues with a sprinkling of red twinkling here and there. The marmalade is destined for the table tonight as a side to our hardwood smoked chicken sausage. Yum! After refrigerating the marmalade for several hours I took a look and the TWO small, red beets I had included had tinted the entire batch red...so much for all my beautiful golds! The taste though...outstanding!
Enjoy!
Janet
