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Radishes – MMM?

May 14th, 2012

I must admit, I’m not really a big fan of radishes. It’s not that I hate them, they’re grown in the gardens of Chiot’s Run every year and we eat all the ones we grow. So why do I grow them? Because they’re quick, you can seed them and be eating them almost a month later, lettuce is barely this quick to reach harvest.

This year I’m growing ‘French Breakfast’ for the first time and I really like it. My other favorite is ‘Pink Beauty’ (we’ll use the work “favorite” loosely here).

What’s one thing you don’t particularly like but still grow in your garden?

38 Comments to “Radishes – MMM?”
  1. Joan on May 14, 2012 at 5:44 am

    Radish. I grow them for my husband, who loves them, but I don’t eat them. Once in a while I’ll braise the greens, and they’re not bad… French Breakfast is my favorite because it is so pretty.

    Reply to Joan's comment

  2. Liz J on May 14, 2012 at 5:46 am

    I am trying to get accustomed to liking beets. I grew them last year and just plain felt they tasted like “dirt smells”. I planted Chiogga. This year I planted Golden. I have learned the most tolerable way to eat them is roasted with olive oil and a little sea salt. Radishes are not a favorite of mine either, but have just planted Nero Tondo black radishes as they are a favorite of my husband. It feels great to be gardening again :)

    Reply to Liz J's comment

  3. tami on May 14, 2012 at 6:05 am

    Tomatoes.

    Can you believe it? I won’t eat them raw at all and can only eat a little bit in sauce because the acid rips my tummy. SM on the other hand doesn’t care for summer squash all that much. Now I can eat squash morning, noon and night. And likely will soon enough. I’m with you on the radishes. Neither one of us likes them so we don’t grow them.

    Reply to tami's comment

  4. Louisa on May 14, 2012 at 6:13 am

    I’m not a fan of radishes, either, but I grow them for the same reasons you do.

    I usually eat them roasted, or shaved and mixed with sliced green onions, 2 parts cottage cheese, 1 part sour cream, salt and pepper, and maybe some sliced cucumber. It is delicious on toast!!

    Reply to Louisa's comment

  5. Alan on May 14, 2012 at 6:37 am

    I’m not a big carrot lover, but there is something very satisfying about pulling a nicely formed carrot from the ground.

    Reply to Alan's comment

  6. Corrie on May 14, 2012 at 7:46 am

    I grow lots of things I don’t like to eat, including radishes, greens, pak choi, and brussels sprouts. I take joy from the growing process, and even more joy from giving away produce to my friends and neighbors.

    Reply to Corrie's comment

  7. Bonnie on May 14, 2012 at 7:57 am

    I don’t have the space to grow anything I don’t like. If I had more space I would grow melons for the family. I can’t eat more than a couple bites without gagging. The strange think is I enjoy the first couple bites.

    My favorite spring summer dish is the veggie tart I make. I thinly slice carrots, beets with greens, and radishes from the garden; and shallots. I saute them in olive oils to soften then layer on flt crust, sprinkle with goat cheese, fold over edges and bake. It is so good.

    I have recently tried radish green pesto with crackers. I’ve made both of these with my nephews as I started a small garden with the youngest and I wanted to show him a few things he could make from what he harvests.

    Reply to Bonnie's comment

    • amy on May 14, 2012 at 8:59 am

      Bonnie~the veg tart sounds delicious. Would you mind providing the recipe for the flat crust or a suggestion on what else I could use? Thank you:)

      Reply to amy's comment

      • Bonnie on May 15, 2012 at 4:10 pm

        I have used a variation of recipes and frozen crusts. My favorite frozen is the one you unroll, I think it came in a red box near pilsbury stuff. The recipe I most frequently use is an oil crust as I usually keep that on hand.

        Oil Crust Recipe
        1 c. flour
        1/2 t. salt (usually measure a bit in my hand)
        1/4 c. oil and 1/4 c. water

        mix flour and salt, measure 1/4 c. oil in glass measuring cup and top off with water at 1/2 c. mark, pour oil/water mix into flour mixture and lightly stir until moist, then roll out on parchment. Do not over stir as it will make it tough. The oil and water poured into flour at the same time causes some flour particle to absorb water and some absorb oil. When baked the two parts make a flaky crust. It is softer and stretchy than regular crust when uncooked.

        to Bonnie's comment

    • Foy Update: Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. on May 14, 2012 at 9:09 am

      I agree, share your recipe it sounds tasty!

      Reply to Foy Update: Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat.'s comment

    • amy on May 15, 2012 at 6:32 pm

      Thank you~Bonnie!

      Reply to amy's comment

  8. Jeph on May 14, 2012 at 8:23 am

    Swiss Chard. It just never stops giving, and it’s attractive, and I like it a little at the beginning of the season, but I get tired of the flavor easily.

    Reply to Jeph's comment

  9. ~Melissa on May 14, 2012 at 8:24 am

    I only recently heard of sauteing radish greens so I’m going to try it when mine are ready. I too am not a big fan of the actual radishes. Have you ever eaten the greens?

    Reply to ~Melissa's comment

    • Susy on May 14, 2012 at 10:23 am

      I haven’t eaten the greens, although the dog does. She’s a big fan of sauteed radish greens with eggs.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  10. Melissa on May 14, 2012 at 8:24 am

    Butternut Squash- not really a huge fan of it, but all my friends love it so it’s a good thing to have to trade with! Plus it’s really easy to grow around here!

    Reply to Melissa's comment

  11. Allison on May 14, 2012 at 8:25 am

    I am going to have to agree with you on the radish! If i had to pick something else we grow, since I stopped with the radishes, I guess I would maybe say Zuchinni — it isn’t that I don’t like it, but there is always way more than we have a use for!

    Reply to Allison's comment

  12. Songbirdtiff on May 14, 2012 at 8:38 am

    Kale. I don’t like to eat it, but it’s great to hide in smoothies for extra nutrients.

    Reply to Songbirdtiff's comment

  13. Gabe on May 14, 2012 at 9:06 am

    I’m with Bonnie – I try not to grow anything that I don’t like, just because of limited space. Now, would I rather have some homemade ice cream over most any veggie? Yep. But I do enjoy eating everything that I grow (although it’s good to have a variety, because I certainly could get tired of some flavors if overdone).

    Reply to Gabe's comment

  14. Foy Update: Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. on May 14, 2012 at 9:08 am

    I don’t like green beans, but they are so prolific how can I not? In the end they are nothing bacon and onions can’t make delicious.

    As for radishes, I’m not a huge fan either. Last year I discovered they could be roasted and they are actually pretty good:

    http://foyupdate.blogspot.com/2011/10/roasted-vegetables-with-polenta.html

    Reply to Foy Update: Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat.'s comment

  15. Kara on May 14, 2012 at 9:50 am

    Try radishes this way – sliced razor thin, with herbed butter, on a slice of crusty baguette, sprinkled with sea salt. You’ll be a convert.

    Reply to Kara's comment

    • Kathi Cook on May 14, 2012 at 9:42 pm

      mmm sounds good

      Reply to Kathi Cook's comment

  16. Jennelle on May 14, 2012 at 10:19 am

    Hot peppers. I’ve always had a lot of success growing them, but I’m just not a fan of them. I love growing radishes, for the same reasons you mentioned–they’re quick and super easy. And this year I’ve had more than ever. We don’t mind them, as we eat a lot of salads. This year I’m also growing beets, and I’m not much of a beet person, but I’m learning to like them more and more.

    Reply to Jennelle's comment

  17. Turling on May 14, 2012 at 10:38 am

    I just planted radishes! From seed! Monumental for me the whole seed thing. I planted radishes because they are quick. Hopefully, easy, as well. I don’t like them either, but my wife swears by them when she juices. So, I’m growing juicing radishes, I guess.

    Reply to Turling's comment

  18. Misti on May 14, 2012 at 10:52 am

    I don’t know if I’ve come across anything that I don’t like so far, but I am growing malabar spinach for the first time so if I don’t like it I wonder if I will keep growing it.

    French breakfast are really great! we grew them last fall and so far they are my favorite radishes.

    Reply to Misti's comment

    • Susy on May 15, 2012 at 7:36 am

      I didn’t like Malabar spinach either, I haven’t grown it again.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  19. Maybelline on May 14, 2012 at 11:07 am

    I’m not a huge fan of radishes but my husband likes them. They are so quick and easy to grow – I always have some sort of vegetable available. I grow them to help other plants. Currently, they are planted amongst squash. Some will be left to go to seed. Not sure why – but this is supposed to repel some pests.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  20. harper on May 14, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Do you have the Simply In Season cookbook? If not, I definitely recommend it! In there is a radish salad which is wonderful. Radish, green onion and dill with an olive oil, dijon mustard, lemon juice dressing. Wonderful! (Sorry, I don’t have the book with me for the exact measurements)

    Reply to harper's comment

    • Susy on May 15, 2012 at 7:36 am

      Sounds like a winner of a cookbook – I’ll have to look it up! Thanks for the recommendation. I happen to have green onions and dill right now so I can make this easily.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  21. Donna B. on May 14, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    Since you don’t like radish [but I’ve read before that you enjoy making Kimchi!] here’s a tip – using the same spice mixture, use whole radishes [slice the root into quarters, long-wise, leaving the leaves still intact] and make them into kimchi! My absolute favorite form of kimchi is with ‘baby’ daikon radish. I grow regular kinds for the same purpose, and it tastes fantastic.

    I really want to try and grow beets one year. I can’t say I’ve had any other than in chip-form. I love most veggies, so I’m easy to please. :D

    Reply to Donna B.'s comment

    • Susy on May 15, 2012 at 7:35 am

      I do like kimchi, I’ll have to make sure I grow some radishes for the next batch of kimchi I make.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  22. Valeria Giudici on May 15, 2012 at 6:32 am

    I don’t like salad… I think is a waste of space… I do eat salad but I hate wash it.. and there is always a snail between leaves, or dirt… the worst is when it rain and all the dirt goes everywhere… I prefer growing something bigger, easier to wash and eat.

    Reply to Valeria Giudici's comment

  23. Andrea Duke on May 15, 2012 at 8:28 am

    I have 2 things I grow and am not crazy about.

    I love planting peas and watching them grow, but neither my son or I care for them anymore. He used to love them! I have lots outside that need picked and will take them to market friday. I had a big jar of shelled peas in the freezer and never used any this winter, so they went into the compost yesterday, because freezer space will be valuable again soon.

    The other is kale. I was so excited to try this last year and it grew well. I made kale chips because of all of the praises online I had read from people. YUCK!! I may still grow some this year for market, but none for me, thank you.

    Reply to Andrea Duke's comment

  24. whit on May 15, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Lettuce is my dreaded veg. But it’s getting increasingly harder for me to pay the same amount for a head of organic lettuce as i do a gallon of gas when it is so easy to grow.

    My 9 yr old hates veg, but loves radishes. We grow French Breakfast and she makes a sandwich out of them sliced on homemade bread slathered with butter.

    Reply to whit's comment

  25. blake on May 15, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    radishes :) although this year, I held off. finally.

    Reply to blake's comment

  26. Xan on May 16, 2012 at 10:06 am

    I mostly grow radishes so I can freak out the little kids by pulling one out, rinsing it in the watering can and eating it. Great lesson in what food really is for urban kids.

    Reply to Xan's comment

    • Susy on May 16, 2012 at 1:16 pm

      You crack me up!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  27. KimH on May 18, 2012 at 6:35 pm

    If there has to be one, it’d be radishes. I’ll eat one or two a year but my daughter really loves them so I grow loads of them for her. That & they’re an easy row marker or shade for other smaller seeds like carrots. ;)

    Reply to KimH's comment

  28. mandie on May 20, 2012 at 8:41 am

    I don’t care for green beans, but I’m growing them this year because my brother likes them.

    If it’s the bite that any of you don’t like about radishes, maybe give White Hailstone Radishes a try. I grew them for the first time this year, and harvested my first two last week….sweet and delish, with a mild radish flavor at the end.

    Reply to mandie's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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