a secret vice of mine is the jalapeno and beetroot salad in red wine vinegar, served at Whole Foods salad bar. At $9.99 a lb its pricey, but well worth it. BTW if you ever see someone with beet juice over his face and clothes - its probably me. I have been caught a couple of times sampling these just a bit too much !
oh - I forgot . My son says I always have a guilty expression when I come back from that salad bar. They must be special as they are only available at the olive bar !
I never realized beets had such an image/acceptance problem, although the alternative uses sound useful. Recipes sound great. I usually roast them, seasoning varies.