Radishes: The Surprisingly Wonderful Winter Crop Cropping Up In Some of Our Favorite Dishes
Winter is one of our favorite seasons here at La Pitchoune. Sunshine and swims in the afternoon, skiing and fondue in the morning. All in one day. What isn’t there to love about wintertime, especially in Provence? Winter in the French Riviera means a dynamic, organic ingredient emerges from the soil too.
Meet radishes.
With a mild flavor, these radishes are juicy when you bite into them, with a texture that is often likened to fruit. They’re absolutely delicious, and just as amazing eaten like an apple as they are cooked to perfection in your favorite dish. They’re rich in calcium, potassium, and antioxidants, and getting your regular fix could improve blood flow. What isn’t there to love, really?
Some farm - of unknown name - sells their entire meat radish harvest to the local Biocoop’s in the area. Biocoop is the smaller, more approachable version of an organic store, with none of the ‘save money, join Prime’ conglomerate flair and all of the charm. They also give you 5% back on all your groceries, and I am a sucker for a market that says ‘Here’s $5 off!’ At Biocoop, we are able to find a rainbow assortment of meat radishes in colors ranging from purple, to watermelon, to full-on green, to neon pink. They are about the size of a human palm, and around 2 inches wide at their widest.
In the United States, meat radishes are a little bit more difficult to find. But they are worthy of the search. If you’re desperate to find some - as we are when we are stateside - Girl and Dug Farm often has them. They are expensive, but it is a worthy expense. Local farmer’s markets and Asian grocers often have a bevvy meat radishes available as well.
If you’re feeling froggy, you could always grow them yourself. Baker Street Seeds has a marvelous collection if you want to give it a shot. (We’ll be growing some in our winter garden at La Pitchoune next winter.)
