Radishes. That is all that is on my mind here, nothing fancy, just these beautiful little roots that make me smile! They are not even my favorite veggie or anything as heroic as that, I just think they are so beautiful! So cheery! And around all year long in all shapes, sizes, colors, just sitting there being crunch for everyones enjoyment, or not!

I think back to when I was a little girl, must have been seven or eight years old. We had a garden in our back yard that my father worked on every weekend, something new all the time. Depending on the time of year, strawberries, cantaloupes (that crossed with our cucumbers, that magically multiplied by the minute!). Broccoli (that was always infested with worms)…I bet they think I don’t remember that! Squash! Buckets of yellow squash! And tomatoes. My dad could grow tomatoes! Green beans…and radishes. I remember my mother pulling a bunch of radishes, rinsing them off in the kitchen, slicing them in half and handing them to me, still warm from the sun, to dunk in a pile of salt and crunch away! That is what I think of when I see radishes.

That house is long gone now, eventually the garden was replaced by a pool, then occupied by a new family as we had all grown up and moved different directions. Now, my parents keep a place in the country, and have another garden, this one is organic, and beautiful. And full of radishes!

I gather a few in the summer when they are at their peak and bring them home…and eat them by the kitchen sink dunked in salt. The rest of the year I pick them up in the markets, and slip them onto my salads and plates as often as I can!

Go ahead, have a bite. That crunch will get you every time!