I couldn't resist these gorgeous candy cane striped beets at farmers market. 

They are an Italian heirloom variety named Chioggia, originating from the coastal region of the Veneto.  The town of Chioggia is a fishing community on an island just south of Venice.  It's a great place to stay if you are looking for economical accommodations in the area.  Chioggia is an easy commute to Piazza Saint Marco, and offers a break from the maddening crowds.

Ran-Cher Acres chevre and fresh thyme tucked into micro-thin slices of raw Chioggia beet drizzled with a citrus parsley vinaigrette makes a pretty impressive first course with very little effort.

Dreaming of Italy led me to search for a simple preparation that would celebrate the flavour of the beets and preserve their brilliant colour. Cooking the Chioggia beets often causes the stripes to fade, so I'll serve them raw. Beets pair nicely with goat cheese,  so I bought some local chevre too. This recipe comes directly from Cannelle et Vanille, I didn't change a thing, and these beauties taste just as bright and delicious as they look.

Any excuse to break out the mandolin!  I don't have the knife skills to create these paper thin slivers on my own.  This kitchen tool makes quick work of it, creating a perfect stack of ravioli wrappers out of a beet in a couple of seconds.