Above (From left to right): French D’Avignon, White Icicle, and Belle radishes.

Radishes were developed in Asia, perhaps 2,000 years ago and are now found all over the world. There are so many interesting, and very different varieties for many different tastes. French D’Avignon radishes were developed in…any guesses… France! They are the most mild radish we grow and are perfect sliced thin and layered on a slice of buttered toast (perhaps a baguette?) with a little bit of salt.

Our belle radishes are the standby, round radish with pink (and sometimes white or purple) skin. A bit spicy! Round-type radishes have only been popular since the 1930s and 40s.

…which brings us to the White Icicle radishes (also called Lady Fingers, which is totally creepy)! This is my first year growing these heirlooms from the 1600s, and I love them! Many of our Farmers’ Market customers remember their moms growing this sort of radish when they were kids. Because of the warm weather, these Icicle radishes are a bit spicy – about on par with the belles. In our house, radishes are usually eaten in the garden and don’t often make it to the kitchen, but you can roast the Icicle radishes to bring out a little bit of sweetness.

If you are less ravenous with radishes than we are here and want to keep them for a few days, simply remove their tops and store them in the fridge for up to a week. I submerge mine in a bowl of water, but a perforated bag in the crisper drawer will work too.

Radish season will be over in a few weeks! I hope you enjoy this ancient spicy vegetable while they last!