RRRR.. Radish!

My dad was a huge radish fan, I don't think anyone else in my extended family ate them but him, at least no one I every saw. But my grandmother planted a half of a row every year in staggered plantings, to help stretch the season out,

One of the great things about having a garden between our house and my Grandmothers was that my job was to pick options for dinner, I mean literally pick options for Dinner, digging fresh potatoes, there's a cucumber and a tomato that was just ready or greens that were calling my name. And then just as I was leaving there are the radishes, just waiting for me to pick a couple for his salad. It was a chore and an experience at the same time, one I wouldn't trade.

While I'm still not a fan of radishes, there are a few fans at my house now. So late last summer when I put in beets I also put in a patch of Easter Egg Radishes. The great thing about radishes are how fast they come up. It's almost as quick a wisteria for those of you in the south, but not quite as sneaky.

I had quite a haul and look at those greens!

They were just towing over the poor beets that were planted at the same time!

I personally picked the Easter Egg variety because I wanted the different colors and the large greens. I had recipes for both. This year I'll be planting another crop of these and maybe I'll try the Watermelon Radish, or the real name Chinese Red Meat Radish. I'm hoping they keep their green outer color and pink inner color when they are pickled.

Now for the Science part! That spicy flavor of radishes is due to the chemical compounds found inside, like Glucosinolate which is also found in mustard. As I mentioned before, and as you can see in the picture, they grow very quickly and are great companion plantings for other veggies that grow a bit slower. Most pests avoid the radish greens which helps other plants like broccoli and beets. They enjoy full sun and a soft soil. 

Most often when you think radish you think salad, but I'm hear to tell you that they make an awesome pickle too. I use a pickling brine that is part white vinegar, and part red wine vinegar. Add a few carrots to the mix and if you like heat, slice up a jalapeno, pop it in the fridge for a couple of days and then watch out. It's a great addition to fish tacos and sandwiches. Don't throw away those greens, they make great Kimchi or just saute them if your taste buds aren't up to the heat!

Overall they are a great addition to your garden, stagger the planting over a couple of weeks so that you'll have a nice long harvest. 

Thanks for taking this trip with me and check back soon for more of the A to Z Challenge!

Parsnips for the P

While they look like Carrots and they do grow in the cooler months, they aren't even from the same family. While they share a shape that is about the extent of their likeness. Parsnips can be grown well into the winter while carrots enjoy a bit more warmth in their growing season. While parsnips look like a white carrot once you try one you'll know the difference. Parsnips have a spicy flavor while the carrot is sweeter, more like a squash flavor.

These long growing root veggies need a deeply worked soil that is loose and free of clay and stones. They can be one of those needier plants in your garden so take heed, they will need to be weeded until they establish themselves and they like to have "wet feet" so they'll need to be watered often if the weather takes a turn towards the dry. Warmer climates will need to mulch to help keep in the moisture, this will help cut down some on the watering. As they mature they will have a vigorous green top and the root with start to push up out of the soil. Harvesting is easier than the growing, just loosen the soil around the root and pull. Cut the tops off and place the washed root in a bag for up to two months in the fridge. They also store well in the ground, wait to harvest until after the first frost, which will give them the best flavor.

They are great for diets also, being very low in calories and high in vitamins. They have been used to help control blood pressure and as a diuretic when passing kidney stones. Parsnips are a great addition to your diet since the uses are very versatile. They can be baked, pureed for soups or eaten raw in salads.

Looking for more ideas, check these recipes out;

• Parsnip & Potato Bake
• Parsnip Soup
• Parsnip Chips

Parsnips can be a bit picky to grow in the garden but they are easy to find in the fall at a local farmers market near you. Go ahead and plant a row late this summer and if it doesn't work out, you can always pick then up at the market, but just give them a try, you might just be surprised!

Thanks for stopping by this A to Z Challenge Post, I'll see you in the Garden!