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These are quite an old heritage variety, I've been growing this variety for a few years now and have found they do very well here. They are early to mature, no bolting, crop over a fairly long period and are tender tasty beets, plus they store well.  Seeds aren't easy to find, Irish seed savers and Heritage Seed Library list them occasionally.
I've found a couple of interesting descriptions
"One of the most popular beets of the 1800s in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, it is an all-purpose variety, round root 4 to 4.5 inches in diameter with 48 to 68 days to maturity from seed.
The beet has very dark, violet-red flesh with lighter zones. The leaves are dark with bright red petioles. The dark red flesh remains flavorful, tender and juicy even when the beets attain large size."
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-item/early-blood-turnip-rooted-beet seeds from

"The root is round, about 4 to 4 1/2 inches in diameter, and when ideally formed, it has the shape of an inverted onion dome, the sort seen on Russian churches. The skin is violet-red, the flesh red with paler red rings. The leaves are almost black and have provided chard breeders with a source of color for many varieties of rhubarb chard."
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/heirloom-beet-varieties-chard-zewz1303zsch.aspx#Early Blood Turnip Beet

From other pictures and descriptions I had thought the correct leaf colour was dark green with red veining but after reading Mother Earth's news re how dark they are and being used for breeding colour in chard leaves I'm not so sure.  I'm just wondering if anyone knows which is the correct type of foliage?

Quote from: Jayb on March 03, 2014, 10:35:03
These are quite an old heritage variety, I've been growing this variety for a few years now and have found they do very well here. They are early to mature, no bolting, crop over a fairly long period and are tender tasty beets, plus they store well.  Seeds aren't easy to find, Irish seed savers and Heritage Seed Library list them occasionally.
I've found a couple of interesting descriptions
"One of the most popular beets of the 1800s in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, it is an all-purpose variety, round root 4 to 4.5 inches in diameter with 48 to 68 days to maturity from seed.
The beet has very dark, violet-red flesh with lighter zones. The leaves are dark with bright red petioles. The dark red flesh remains flavorful, tender and juicy even when the beets attain large size."
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-item/early-blood-turnip-rooted-beet seeds from

"The root is round, about 4 to 4 1/2 inches in diameter, and when ideally formed, it has the shape of an inverted onion dome, the sort seen on Russian churches. The skin is violet-red, the flesh red with paler red rings. The leaves are almost black and have provided chard breeders with a source of color for many varieties of rhubarb chard."
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/heirloom-beet-varieties-chard-zewz1303zsch.aspx#Early Blood Turnip Beet

From other pictures and descriptions I had thought the correct leaf colour was dark green with red veining but after reading Mother Earth's news re how dark they are and being used for breeding colour in chard leaves I'm not so sure.  I'm just wondering if anyone knows which is the correct type of foliage?

When I grew them I had a mixture of leaf colours too.  If you go by the name, then selecting for the reddest leaves might be best, because that is what is different from others.  But deeply red veined is also good.

Unfortunately mine were devoured by mice during winter storage :(  no seeds for more.  So it is back to a cheapy packet of Bolthardys for this year, which are also nice and reliable, just not as exotic.

According to Mother Earth the blood part apparently "is due to the fact that when cooked, the beet exudes a thick juice, similar in consistency to blood. This rich texture was particularly well liked by colonial cooks, especially the Pennsylvania Dutch. Christopher Sauer's herbal, in the installment for 1774, dealt with the blood beet as prepared among the Germans in Pennsylvania and Maryland: cooked in red wine and honey, pickled by baking gently in crocks of vinegar, and served as salads with oil and vinegar.

A related variety called Bull's Blood is equally red and as rich. It has purple-red leaves, but is only good as a spring beet harvested young. If allowed to mature too much, it becomes woody."
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/heirloom-beet-varieties-chard-zewz1303zsch.aspx#Early

Luckily I haven't noticed the cooked beets 'oozing' anything like 'blood', or I don't think I'd want to eat them!

Luckily I haven't noticed the cooked beets 'oozing' anything like 'blood', or I don't think I'd want to eat them!

Now that 'bloody' description sounds wacky and interesting...sounds like fun veg..

Quote from: goodlife on March 05, 2014, 11:06:21

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Luckily I haven't noticed the cooked beets 'oozing' anything like 'blood', or I don't think I'd want to eat them!

Now that 'bloody' description sounds wacky and interesting...sounds like fun veg..

lol they might be good served with your pancakes 

lol they might be good served with your pancakes  :toothy10:

Indeed... ...plateful of 'blood'...
...and talking about pancakes....grated beetroot in batter would make bright pink pancakes..served with cold meat and salad..?..hmm....

Quote from: goodlife on March 05, 2014, 18:10:48
...and talking about pancakes....grated beetroot in batter would make bright pink pancakes..served with cold meat and salad..?..hmm....

Sounds good   

Or perhaps with sour cream with a dollup of horseradish or wasabi!

Quote from: Jayb on March 05, 2014, 18:48:45
Or perhaps with sour cream with a dollup of horseradish or wasabi!

MMM...YES...and that would go well with fish too...if one needs some 'meat' to go with it
OR..how about other way round...horseradish pancake rolls (using green leaves) , filled with cooked beetroot and sourcream...

That sounds like it would work too 
or grated blood beetroot drizzled with horseradish dressing, served with pancakes, cold meat too, ham would be nice I think.