The radishes i planted in September are French Breakfast radishes. I usually buy seeds from Maine growers, but when you are buying late in the summer, you don't always get the best selection. These are an heirloom variety grown by a Colorado seed company and are organic.
Why, you may (or may not) be asking, does it matter that they are an heirloom variety? Over the last decade growing non-traditional varieties of fruits and vegetables has become popular with home gardeners. An heirloom variety is 'a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture.' Thanks, Wikipedia!
Previous to the industrialization of agriculture and the widespread adoption of monoculture there were many varieties of each type of plant. There is now a resurgence of interest in seed saving and preserving these 'endangered' varieties from being lost.
So these French Breakfast radishes are different than those you'd buy at the grocery store, and probably different even from those you'd pick up at your farmer's market. They are also oblong, and i was surprised at their shape when i pulled them, expecting something round. Then i referenced the seed packet again and realized all was well in the radish world. I've never seen radishes this shape, but they sure are delicious! They aren't spicy, just crispy and mild.
Although i do enjoy a sliced up radish in my salad, a more creative way to utilize these roots is to slice them and place them on buttered toast. Maybe this special combination was discovered in France and eaten for breakfast, hence the name of this radish variety. Then again, maybe not. You tell me!
Grow on,
Tyler
p.s. Much like a beet, you can eat the greens of the radish plant!
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