Radish
The fastest crop in the garden: one month from sowing to harvest.
- Season: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
- Peak season: April, May, June
- Botanical family: Brassicaceae
History
Native to Asia, the radish was already eaten in ancient Egypt, where it fed the pyramid builders. It reached France in the 16th century and quickly became a kitchen-garden staple. The pink radish with a white tip, called “demi-long”, is a French selection.
Origin and growing regions
In France, radishes are grown everywhere, especially near big cities:
- Centre-Val de Loire
- Pays de la Loire (around Nantes)
- Île-de-France
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Benefits
The radish is crunchy and light:
- Very low in calories: About 15 kcal/100 g.
- Vitamin C: A handful covers a good share of your needs.
- Sulphur compounds: They give it its bite.
- Hydrating: About 95% water.
Varieties
- French breakfast: White tip, the French classic.
- 18-day radish: The fastest to grow.
- Round red radish: Crunchy and mild.
- Black radish: Winter radish, very spicy.
- Daikon: Big white Japanese radish, mild.
Zero waste
- Storing: Leaves cut off, in a bag in the fridge: 4 to 5 days. With leaves on, they go soft quickly.
- Freezing: Raw, it turns mushy. The leaves in soup: up to 6 months.
- Nothing goes to waste: The leaves make a soup or pesto. A soft radish gets its crunch back in iced water.