Crapaudine Beetroot

The oldest variety of beetroot, recognizable by its cracked skin, is literally loaded with geosmin, the molecule that gives it its scent of earth after the rain. More concentrated in sugar than the round beetroot, it is sumptuous when cooked whole on the glowing embers of a Kamado: the sacrificial carbonization of its skin protects flesh that will candy, caramelize, and become saturated with smoky notes. Its water-soluble pigment (betanin) is a formidable blood-red food coloring.