Radishes
Radishes have a flavor range from mild to sharp - familiar red with its crisp texture to the sharp flavor of the black radish. Radishes (like cabbage, broccoli) are cruciferous root vegetables that were cultivated thousands of years ago. This terrific vegetable was first grown in China, traveled to Egypt and Greece. Food fact: Greeks cherished the radish so much that gold replicas were made of it!
Radishes are generally eaten raw, however, they are a delicious addition to soups, excellent pickled, or heated and served whole. The tops of radishes are edible, and are very peppery in taste - a great accent to fresh salads, as well as a good source of vitamin C.
Some popular varities include:
- Red Mammoth - bright, scarlet colored with an average length of 10". This is a firm, pungent radish with pink flesh
- Black Spanish - An heirloom variety that was introduced in the early 1800s, with black skin and white flesh - a very spicy radish
- Breakfast - An heirloom variety that arrived around 1870 - also called the French breakfast radish. Very attractive scarlet red color with a white tipe - this is a mild, sweet radish
- Cherry Belle - Winner of the "All American Selection" in 1949 - an early variety, very prolific, with deep red skin and very crisp white flesh
- China Rose - Jesuit missionaries brought this variety radish to Europe from China around the mid 1800s. Average root is 8" long, with a beautiful rose color
- Easter Egg - A beautiful multi-colored radish with red, purple, white and red colors, and a crispy white flesh - excellent flavor
- German Beer - This variety of radish is eaten thinly sliced on black bread, or sprinkled with salt and consumed with steins of beer - a favorite for Oktoberfest - large variety, with pungent flesh
- White Icicle - A very popular variety of radish that averages 6" in length - crisp, white flesh
- Hailstone - Globe shaped radish with pure, white skin and a very firm flesh - a favorite among connoisseurs!
- Daikon - Very large, carrot shaped radish - 18" long with an average weight of 1 to 2 pounds - white flesh with a hotter taste than red varieties, but milder than the black varieties
Radishes are classified by shape - oval, round, oblong and long, and are generally labeled by color - red, white, and black. The red and white varieties of radishes are available year-round, with the largest volume coming from Michigan and Florida, although most states grow radishes.
While basically lacking in much nutritional content, radishes are nevertheless low in calories, and do contain good amounts of vitamin C, as well as some dietary fiber.
Today's red radishes date back to ancient Egypt. They were described as a vegetable to "excite the languid stomach" - an appetite stimulant. Many festivals around the world exist today honoring the radish. During Christmas time, a huge party takes place in Oaxaca, Mexico - "Noche de los Rabanos" (Night of Radishes), where local farmers show their radish harvests.
Enjoy fresh radishes on relish trays (if the greens are fresh and crisp, use some leaves for a beautiful accent - sliced, whole, shredded, julienned, in fresh vegetable salads, in soups, carved for a table centerpiece. As a member of the mustard family, and part of the cruciferous vegetable group, radishes provide great flavor and anti-oxidant properties.