Vinaigrette

When Dr. Denner described the traditional Russian beet salad, made up of boiled beets, potatoes, and carrots as well as onion, zucchini, and pickled cabbage, I thought it sounded absolutely awful. And you know what? I was...well...sort of right. It's not the most appetizing looking dish if you're used to American food. Almost a uniform shade of magenta, only the zucchini and the carrots escape with some semblance of their original color. And it's easy to see where the explosive pink comes from. The beets are a really deep shade, basically purple. To be honest, I was scared to try eating something that matched my own unnatural hair color. But I did. The taste is....odd. But not too terrible. The flavor primarily remains a constant blend of the ingredients, leaving me unable to identify individual vegetables. But every once in a while there's a distinctive burst, easy to recognize. Previously hidden pepper reveals itself with a mild bite to the tongue. The beets lend an earthy aftertaste while the carrots bring a sweetness. Potatoes are a reassuring presence in this foreign dish, bringing to mind an old fashioned American potato salad. Although it must be said that potatoes are far more prevalent in Russia. All in all, it's not quite to my taste but worth trying all the same.