It’s the time of year when the sun is starting to go on holiday. While it’s nice to still play outside, the couch and blanket beside the fireplace is also inviting.
In the winter, Revelstoke is dark. I’ve lived a stone’s throw from the North Pole, where the sun does not rise for four months of the year and I have more trouble with the dim light in Revelstoke then I did there. I think, since Revelstoke is relatively in southern Canada as we’re only 300 km from the U.S. border, there’s the expectation for more sunshine.
I suppose since our valley is deep, the forests moist and the mountains high, the clouds get stuck and sometimes refuse to budge. It’s also wet, cold, and damp.
It’s an aspect of Revelstoke that is not shared on the tourist brochure. Yes, the snow can be plentiful, but so are the grey clouds. There’s a price to pay for those epic snowfalls.
Regardless, it’s important to keep the mind busy and active. Or it can travel to much darker places then a wet snow storm.
Here is a winter recipe to keep at least your house merry and bright. For, as J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, “In the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”
Remember, the sun will return. It always does.
Here is a recipe from Bon Appetite magazine.
Deep-Fried Beets with Horseradish Dip
INGREDIENTS
24 baby beets
2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
½ cup sour cream
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2 cups fine dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 6 cups)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400°. Place beets in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water to dish, cover with foil, and roast until beets are tender (a paring knife inserted into center should meet no resistance), 40–50 minutes. Let beets cool slightly, then peel skins.
Meanwhile, stir sour cream and horseradish in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper; chill.
Whisk shallot, vinegar, mustard, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium bowl; season marinade with salt and pepper. Add beets and toss to coat.
Place flour in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper. Lightly beat eggs in a second shallow dish to blend. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish; season with salt and pepper.
Fit a large heavy pot with thermometer and pour in enough oil to measure 2”. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working with a few at a time, remove beets from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in eggs, letting excess drip back into bowl, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat. Fry beets, turning occasionally, until breading is golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season with salt.
Serve fried beets with reserved horseradish dip alongside.
Liam Harrap is a reporter with the Revelstoke Review.