The researchers used the yeast to brew a mild-tasting beer using a traditional recipe from the time, and they say it has a distinct flavor.

The greens are interchangeable with other mild-tasting greens like Swiss chard and spinach; one bunch of beets gives you two vegetables to work with.

For centuries, microscopic mites have been part of the process for making Mimolette, a mild-tasting cheese shaped like a cannonball and electric orange in color.