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Thursday, July 27, 2023

Le Radis Fanatique

 

The French have a long history of deep attachment to le radis

It begins early, in the crib before they have teeth ๐Ÿฆท 

As a teething toy called ‘Ramona, le radis’ ๐Ÿ˜‚

I became deeply attached, when I moved to Paris. I would fall
out of bed into Marchรฉ Grenelle. I lived on French radishes the 1st 8 months. They were cheap, delicious and crunchy like potato chips but much healthier. I still eat radishes daily.

Radishes are packed with roughage & fiber, they keep our blood sugars level, are a good source for anthocyanins. These flavonoids not only give radishes their red color. 
They keep our hearts pumping. Radishes are high in potassium, which help lower your blood pressure. They also support the generation of collagen, which helps keep blood vessels healthy. Radishes are members of the Brassicas family so like eating cauliflower or broccoli ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿคธ‍♂️

The first recorded documentation of the radish dates to 300 BC. 
(Looks like a radish to me on the far right non?)

Herodotus
, the Greek historian, who had something to say about everything, claimed to see hieroglyphs of radishes on Egyptian pyramids although it is unknown which one. It has also stated that Egyptians enjoyed radishes as early as 2,700 BC. 

Myself, I usually buy ‘radis rond’ or ‘radis rose’ at Carrefour for 0,99 centimes a couple of times a week - they go fast as a quickie snack eaten straight out of the bag sliced up.

On Tuesday I went to marchรฉ Mutualitรฉ Maubert to buy a botte/bunch of the much beloved so-called French Breakfast Radish with green leaves attached. These leaves ๐Ÿƒ are supposed to be edible, but in the marchรฉ they always look triste to me and don’t appeal.

Let me just say NO FRENCH PERSON is eating radis for breakfast/petit dรฉjeuner. Nor will any Paris cafe be serving them up soon.  The average French person has a cup of coffee/tea + a slice of toast slathered with butter + confiture/jam like French Girl is having here.

This is a British/American Victorian fantasy. 
Upper-crust Victorians were apparently fond of eating these mild little vegetables for breakfast at a specific radish festival. They added "French" to the name as an homage to the vegetable's country of origin. 

My problem with the prettier French Breakfast radish is they tend to be ‘hot’, spicy or ‘piquant’ as the French say. Supposedly roasting them makes them sweeter. I didn’t have much luck ๐Ÿ€ 

How the French serve radis - sliced paper-thin on a tartine

I was delighted to discover I am not the only radis fanatique/enthousiaste. I have big competition from 
artist Ar Furlukin, who installed 600 radishes on the facades of Rennes. He hopes to hang 1,000 in total. 

He has been passionate about radishes for 37 years. I cannot compete.

On Monday I went to Canal St Martin to add to my radis collection.

Macon & Lesquoy
has very nice embroidered pins

And not just betterave/beet pins but RADIS pins ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿคธ‍♂️๐Ÿ‘

Perfect to add to my small collection ๐Ÿ‘ all bought in Paris. 

The tiniest radish was bought in June, 2013 from the annual 
Salon de la Poupรฉe, SIMP, International Dollhouse Show. The die was cast.

FYI, radis are grown year-round on the รŽle-de-France.
Thank you for your support. I hope you’re enjoying your Summer.




40 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:21 AM

    Thank you Carol...cute radishes...interesting! You always find interesting things to share! Love it!!๐Ÿ’– Laura

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  2. Anonymous5:56 AM

    I also eat radishes everyday. I slice them, add salt and vinegar and they are a great side dish, or just plain, washed, as a snack. Btw, lovely pin collection. Have a
    great day.

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  3. I am a fan of radishes, too. Always have some on hand. The French variety look so good. I would purchase one of those beaded pins in a heart beat๐Ÿ’“. Thanks for another enjoyable post ๐Ÿ—ผ❤️

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  4. Charming! I LOVE the radish teething toy--that would be a wonderful baby gift for a French-obsessed American. My dad grew radishes in his American garden, but I just can't stand to eat them, only think they are pretty. I have a childhood pastel I did with a little bunch of his radishes for contrast among the the other darker colors.

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  5. Bonnie L7:10 AM

    Radishes were always around the house when I was growing up…SO hot! I could take them or leave them. Seeing them as a starter on a Paris restaurant menu I was intrigued. Definitely milder tasting than their American counterparts…and served with French salted butter? Yes, please!

    Love those embroidered pins! How to chose?!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:16 AM

      I don’t like the hot ones either ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ
      The round are rarely hot or spicy (piquant)

      Delete
  6. Anonymous7:37 AM

    I like coming home from work & grabbing a few radishes to eat too, as well as a carrot. I've grown them in my garden but not this year. I saw a video yesterday on how to grow the French radishes. Maybe next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:15 AM

      Is it too late to plant radishes?

      Delete
    2. I cannot imagine it is too late. From seed to plant in only 30 days!

      Delete
  7. Growing up, my dad always made me a peanut butter and radish sandwich. I eat them to this day. Perhaps a Nutella and radish sandwich would be a French version?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:14 AM

      Non non non never radishes & Nutella ๐Ÿ˜ต‍๐Ÿ’ซ
      They are a savory - tzatziki is OK
      But no desserts so far

      Delete
  8. Anonymous8:13 AM

    This was a home run post! I’m going to make them in a salad today along with water cress. ๐Ÿ‘ Anabel

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  9. I"ve always loved radishes -- so tasty! And I've been buying them a lot this summer as a snack, too (trying to ease up on the sugar!) I'm lucky that my parents introduced me to things as a kid others hated -- herring, sardines, onion, radishes. Makes life more interesting!

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    1. Anonymous2:52 PM

      So true about parents sharing tastes with kids Jeanie.
      I love sardines & herring & pomegranates because of the parents.
      And CLAMS !

      Delete
  10. Love radishes as well. Ever since my son was in The Fantasticks and sang Plant a Radish, I can't get enough of them. Have painted a few and now am inspired to paint a few more--and eat them too. Marvelous post, Grand merci!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:07 AM

      Big Merci I didn’t know there was a RADISH song!
      Plant a Radish - The Fantasticks
      https://youtu.be/wBcpAaUHwNM

      Delete
  11. Anonymous8:42 AM

    Love these radishes. Get them in my CSA.

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  12. My French grandfather had an onion sandwich [bread, butter, sliced onion] every day for breakfast and my French Canadienne friend uses red onions in hers. Radishes wouldn't be too far afield, non? Love your site Carol--have been following it for ages.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:56 AM

      And my dad used to munch a WHOLE ONION ๐Ÿง… on the back porch like eating an apple ๐ŸŽ …it must be a Mid-Western thing since he was from Iowa…

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9:57 AM

      By the way radishes & onions are both sulfurous & so healthy for the heart ❤️

      Delete
    3. sukicart3:09 PM

      I'm also from Iowa and we always ate onion sandwiches - came from the German side of the family. I love radishes but often forget to buy them.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous9:33 AM

    You’ve brought me back to radishes. I strayed! Sound wonderful! Maybe try on bread with butter!! Thanks Carol., you are a genius!!! Have summer fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:58 AM

      So happy to hear the news of your return ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿคธ‍♂️
      You will not regret it ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Delete
  14. My father loved radish sandwiches:) Love your pin..that cyclist looks a bit radis:)

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:50 PM

      You noticed. All that RED & the GREEN helmet ! ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Delete
  15. Anonymous11:37 AM

    Love your beaded radish pin Carol and what a great little radish collection. I happen to enjoy radishes myself and it was fun reading the history about them as well as the health info.

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  16. Anonymous12:05 PM

    Thanks for this Carol. Made me go back and look at my pictures from the open market at Rouen in the summer of 2015. Ces't vrai, nobody does radishes like the French!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:48 PM

      Ces't vrai, nobody does radishes like the French!
      That’s nice to hear ๐Ÿ‘

      Delete
  17. Anonymous1:51 PM

    my tortoise loves radish leaves, so I try to find some that are not all wet and icky at the market. He doesn't eat the radishes, so I started eating them, sometimes 3 meals a day and love them, when they are not to 'piquant'. In the winter, I grow them in pots; alas, my tortoise is in hibernation at that season, but I love them straight from the soil, and the French Breakfast type do well during cool weather...not so in the summer here in southern Arizona...everything is nearly fried by the crazy heat! Thank you for all the lovely history of radishes I never knew!!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:46 PM

      Wish I could send your pet tortoise all the leaves ๐Ÿƒ I have here. Sorry about heatwave you’re having ๐Ÿ˜ณ

      Delete
  18. Anonymous2:04 PM

    I get my love of radishes from my father. He would eat them with salt. I so love a good radish as well. Thanks, Carol, for a history of the radish!

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  19. Anonymous2:54 PM

    Radishes. Who knew? will add them to my snacking pack Monica

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  20. Barbara2:54 PM

    Love this entry. Eating and water coloring radishes are always summer pleasures. A radish tartine for lunch today is on the menu. Your watercolor is lovely.

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  21. Judy Jennings3:29 PM

    Carol,
    Long ago I read a WWII memoir about two young Jewish boys in hiding after losing parents (France), and they were starving. Finally a very gruff lady gave them radishes & they stuffed them selves.
    I NEVER eat a radish now without thinking of them. Love them sooo much.

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  22. My favorite is "radis au beurre" as an appetizer before a lovely summer meal!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:59 AM

      The truth is I have never done this ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ
      Must try it

      Delete
  23. Anonymous7:36 AM

    Larrywalker loved breakfast radishes with sweet butter and salt. AWA Catering

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  24. Anonymous9:22 PM

    Such a great post! The radish tarting looks fabulous! I’m trying to guess the spread they used underneath it…some kind of herbed butter?

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  25. Anonymous1:19 AM

    Thank you Carol; intriguing; and cute radishes! You never lack for intriguing topics to discuss! OnlineCourses

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  26. Adore your post, Carol. My goodness - even down to embroidered radish pins? Love that!

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