Horseradish: An Unsung Everyday Hero.

When I think of horseradish, the thoughts of my dad, outside, grinding horseradish root in an olive green blender is what comes to mind. My dad used to go to the county barn and dig up horseradish roots, growing wildly, in upstate New York. He would come home with his bag of dirt-covered roots, wash them, and take the blender outside to begin preparation for ground horseradish. I imagine he did the blending outside because the one time he ground horseradish, my mother's eyes probably watered, and the smell lingered, and that was that. My dad and his horseradish roots were banished outside.

An extension cord ran from an outdoor outlet, and the blender would be set on top of a railroad tie wall bordering our driveway. The whir of the blades going round and round, the slight smell of burning small appliance motor, and in a flash, we had freshly-ground "organic" horseradish that was preserved in white vinegar. Yes, I put organic in quotation marks because it wasn't USDA organic or NYS organic. It was just wild horseradish root growing in a field, never sprayed, never doused with any sort of chemical.

Quick facts about horseradish? Don't mind if I do:

* It is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage. The next time you taste horseradish, broccoli, and cabbage, think about how they taste similar.
* Prior to being shredded or ground, horseradish doesn't have any sort of smell. It's just a simple, light beige root.
* The roots and leaves of horseradish has been used in holistic medicine for ages.
* Horseradish contains a wallop of vitamin C.

Horseradish truly is an unsung everyday hero. Normally when someone says horseradish, people think cocktail sauce. So sad that horseradish is pigeon-holed into this simple sauce. I use horseradish on anything I can get my hands on: potatoes, soup, sandwiches, salads, whatever I feel might benefit from a zing. I also started using more horseradish to replace salt in some of my meals.

Here in Georgia, I feel as though more laypeople don't appreciate horseradish. Sure you can find it in most 4-and5-star restaurants as some ingredient (horseradish mashed potatoes, horseradish sauce, etc.) but not everyday meals. I wonder if people knew the health benefits of the feisty plain-looking root if they would give it a second glance?