Pickled Beets with Star Anise and Cinnamon

Without the bother of a water bath or of pressure canning, you can easily make aromatic and deeply spiced pickled beets that keep for a month in the refrigerator. In the springtime, when I see baby beets at the farmers’ market, I’m inspired to keep the dainty orbs whole and pickle them. At other times, slicing, or even cutting wedges, of small- or medium-size beets is the best bet for packing beets comfortably into jars.