This is my ode of love to radishes.Derived from the Latin, Radix, meaning root, the radish was domesticated before Roman times. I love the little guys, they are the first color that comes out of my garden.
They really are magical: I had nothing four days ago, just some greens and today, I have these little red beauties. These are cherry bell radishes. The first of the season are so mild and and juicy with just a tiny bit of pepper at the finish.
I don't have a lot of history with radishes, but here is what I have. I remember my father growing them in the garden even though no one in my family liked them. The natural progression of this was that the radishes grew so much that my early memories of them are of huge woody, cracked things that were so overly peppery that no one but old hardened men may have been willing to eat them.
I also worked for a plastic injection molding factory while I was in college. I was sitting in the "QC'S" office and Irec, the manager on duty came in. Irec was seriously Polish... like as Polish as a man could physically get. He talked with a thick accent that reminded me of Russia. He was also an Ex-merchant marine. He was big and intimidating, but a complete puppy underneath it all. At any rate, Irec loved to talk about all of the vast and rich experiences he had had in his past. In reference, and defense of Poland, Irec wisely said conspiratorially: (please feel free to extend your "R"s and draw out your vowels) "David... (pronouced Daved) Poland is like a radish, its red on the outside but white all in the middle. He winked and walked out of my office leaving me to consider Communism and all of its subtleties.
I am not sure about the political unrest at the heart of Poland, but I will tell you that these red, first appearing vegetables of the season are among my favorites.
