Koch.Campus
29.01.2025 | “Winter Vegetables” | Augarten – City Farm
The varieties we use at Koch.Campus:
The Origin of Red Beet
It belongs to the goosefoot family and is related to Swiss chard, sugar beets, and fodder beets. Originally, it descended from the wild beet, which was brought to Europe by the Romans from the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East. The Romans introduced both chard and red beet to our regions, as evidenced by archaeological excavations at Roman forts. Red beet was not mentioned by name until the Middle Ages when it was likely cultivated systematically in monastic gardens. At that time, the shape and color of red beet were highly diverse: flat-round, spherical, cylindrical, or elongated, in white, yellow, and light red. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the characteristic red color was selectively bred. The red color of the beetroot comes from the pigment betanin. Today, the diversity of beet varieties is being rediscovered.
Robushka
The smooth-skinned, round fruits are characterized by their fully red, dark flesh with a fruity-sweet taste.
Sowing: Early April to late May (seed depth: 2–3 cm)
Harvest: Early June to late October
Crapaudine
Crapaudine is an old French variety with a very long root, red and white striped in cross-section. It is less suitable for raw consumption but becomes sweet and flavorful when cooked.
Sowing: April to June
Flowering: After winter, unharvested or replanted red beets produce a fragrant flower stalk and later seeds.
Harvest: July to November
Chioggia
A typical, traditional Italian beet variety. The beautifully red-and-white-striped beets are a subspecies of red beet. They originate from the Chioggia peninsula in the Veneto region, which gave them their name. Compared to common red beets, they have a mildly sweet taste and are less earthy.
Sowing: Early April to early July
Harvest: Late July to late October
Goldeneye
Goldeneye beets produce juicy yellow-orange spheres that taste pleasantly fruity and sweeter than traditional red beets.
Sowing: From April to early July
Germination: Beets germinate after about 8–10 days. Sensitive to night frosts. Optimal germination temperature: 25°C.
Harvest: About 3–4 months after sowing. Baby beets can be harvested after 5–6 weeks.
Burpees Golden
Burpees Golden is an old variety with a round root, golden-yellow flesh, and orange-red skin. It grows quickly and has high yields. The taste is very sweet and pleasantly fruity.
Sowing: April to June
Harvest: July to November
Badger Flame
Our project with Robert Brodnjak from “Krautwerk.”
Badger Flame beets are a modern specialty variety belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. They are the result of years of selective breeding and crossbreeding at the University of Wisconsin by breeders Irwin Goldman and Nick Breitbach. The variety was also improved through field trials at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture with the help of Jack Algiere and Matthew Goldfarb in New York. It took over 15 years for the variety to develop through natural crossings and selective breeding.The elongated roots are named for their vibrant golden flesh and flame-like shape. The skin is semi-smooth, firm, and dark red-orange, sometimes covered with small hairs.
Albina Vereduna
This old, bright white variety is highly resilient and a remarkable rarity. It originally comes from the Mediterranean region. The variety has a sweet and juicy taste.
Sowing: Early March to late July
Harvest: Early June to late September
The radish varieties we use at Koch.Campus:
Radish (Raphanus) belongs to the mustard family (Brassicaceae). In Egypt, this cruciferous vegetable from the cabbage family was already used in dishes and valued as medicine during the time of the pharaohs. From Greece, radishes made their way to Italy in the 6th century and crossed the Alps during the Middle Ages.
Not all radishes are the same. The varieties differ significantly. In terms of root shape, there are round, conical, and cylindrical radishes. The length of the roots ranges from 25 to 40 cm. Asian radishes, known as Minowase types, are much longer and milder in flavor compared to European varieties. Their foliage is also distinct from that of European radishes.
Radish root colors range from black and brown to yellow, pink, violet, and even white. White radish is the most common variety in our region. However, Asia also has exotic varieties with green roots and red flesh.
Pink Meat
- This variety has pink to rose-colored, firm flesh.
- The flavor is mild and pleasantly spicy, not as sharp as other radish varieties.
Red Meat
- Known for its vibrant red flesh.
- It has a sharp, tangy flavor that works well in salads and as a side dish.
Blue Meat
- This variety has unusual blue to violet-colored flesh.
- The taste is sharp and spicy, but not overly intense.
Kitchen | Florian Burtscher
Borscht-inspired Beetroot Soup
with Katsubushi from the Crapaudine beetroot.
Tamale with Goldeneye Beetroot
Salt-baked Goldeneye beetroot seasoned with “Badger Flame” Miso Charcoal Butter.
Kombucha Leather
Candied Scoby from Robushka Kombucha.
Patisserie | Thomas Scheiblhofer
Furry
“Crapaudine” with a hint of raspberry, chili, lemongrass, and powdered Rooibos tea with raspberry on the outside
Red Vegetable Bear
“Robushka” with spices (clove, cinnamon, allspice, etc.) and kombucha
Yellow Vegetable Bear
“Badger Flame” with elderflower tea
Drinks | Michael Peceny
Warm-Up-Drink: Fig and Lemon Leaf Tea with “Robushka” Beet
The fig and lemon leaves are oxidized, fermented, and dried like classic black tea. Brewed as tea and refined with beet kombucha.
Station “Old Workshop”: Crapaudine Beet Amazake
Sour Amazake made from Crapaudine beets, beet skins, and bergamot essence.