July we are celebrating National Horseradish Month. This is a root vegetable that can have some insanely hot flavor. It has been used as spice and sauce for thousands of years. Acccording to legend, Delphi, the oracle, told Apollo, “The radish is worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.” Horseradish has good levels of vitaman C and antioxidants. I have some interesting books discussing horseradish.
My first book is actually an old booklet that was used as an advertising campaign. “Jell-O: America’s Most Favorite Dessert” was published in 1926. Even back then, there were six “delicious flavors” and one was told to “serve frequently to children as well as adults” because “scientific experiments have now proved that Jell-O is a body-building, energizing food of real value-and a food that requires very little digestive effort.” This booklet then went to discuss all sorts of recipes and molds made with Jell-O. Perhaps most of the ideas you have ever seen through the ages with Jell-O, are in this booklet. There are even some you may not of hear of… yet.
There is a Jell-O Horseradish Relish. “Dissolve package lemon Jell-O in pint of boiling water, along with two tablespoons of vinegar. Add one pimento, 1/2 green pepper cut fine, and 1/2 cup grated horseradish. As thickens, mold into sweet green peppers. When set, cut into slices. Serve with meat or fish.” This is worth a try!
The next book is “Household Discoveries and Mrs. Curtis’s Cookbook” from 1914. The author claims to use horseradish to remove freckles: “grate horseradish, soak in buttermilk overnight, strain through cheesecloth, and wash the face night and morning with the resulting liqueur.” He also states however, “frequent use is not to be recommended.”
My third book is “Betty Crocker Cookbook” 1978 edition. It was a wedding gift, now well used. In fact, I am on my third copy. If you look up New England pot roast, you will find it is cooked for several hours in water and 5 oz. jar of horseradish. It is the best mild-flavored beef ever eaten! The flavor of horseradish is mellowed, and so flavorful. And add drop dumplings for last 20 minutes, served with glaze of burnt butter, and wow! You should have horseradish in your fridge all month.
What always stays hot in the refrigerator? Horseradish.
What condiment has the most kick? Horseradish.
I even have a short story for my Hebrew friends, as horseradish is often at the Passover Seder-for the bitterness of slavery:
“The horseradish root crossed the Red Sea with the fleeing Israelites. The Israelites were slaves at the time and only had access to a few vegetables. The hard and woody horseradish was one of them and was a household staple.”
“Nearly all the fleeing Israelites took horseradish with them. Mert and Marsha, however, while gathering up their scant belongings, found to their dismay that they had run out of horseradish. Marsha immediately sent Mert into the field to dig up a large horseradish root to take with them. However, because it was dark and everyone was running around in panic, Mert dug up a ginger root by mistake.”
“After forty years in the desert, the Israelites finally entered the Promised Land – all, that is, except Marsha and Mert. It took them forty-one years to arrive. When asked where they had been, Marsha, now grown old, shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Mert insisted on taking an alternative root.”
Thanks for reading.
Librarytomes 