History

Horseradish dates back to ancient Egyptians as far back as 1500 B.C. Early Greeks used it as a rub for lower back pain and an aphrodisiac.  Horseradish through the centuries had been used as a syrup to expectorant cough medicine; others were convinced it cured everything from rheumatism to tuberculosis. Legend has it the Delphic oracle told Apollo, “The radish is worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.”

More recent appreciation of horseradish is believed to have originated in Central Europe, the area also linked to the most widely held theory of how horseradish was named. In German, it’s called “meerrettich” (sea radish) because it grows by the sea. Many believe the English mispronounced the German word “meer” and began calling it “mareradish.” Eventually, it became known as horseradish. The word “horse” (as applied in “horseradish”) is believed to denote large size and coarseness. “Radish” comes from the Latin radix meaning root.

During the Renaissance, horseradish consumption spread from Central Europe northward to Scandinavia and westward to England. It wasn’t until 1640, however, that the British ate horseradish — and then it was consumed only by country folk and laborers. By the late 1600s, horseradish was the standard accompaniment for beef and oysters among all Englishmen. The English grew the pungent root at inns and coach stations, to make cordials to revive exhausted travelers. Early settlers brought horseradish to North America, It was common in the northeast by 1806, and it grew wild near Boston by 1840.

Commercial cultivation in America began in the mid-1850s, when immigrants started horseradish farms in the Midwest. By the late 1890s, a thriving horseradish industry had developed in an area of fertile soil on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River,

• Protecting against cancer
• Fighting bacterial and fungal infections
• Improving breathing issues
• Curing urinary tract infections
• Killing bacteria in the throat

Horseradish Cream

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraîche, or heavy cream

• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated or jarred horseradish (not the creamy variety)

• 1 dash fine sea salt, or to taste

• 1 dash freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Cooking Instructions

• If using heavy cream, beat it lightly first to thicken it so you can dollop it onto things. If you’re using crème fraîche, you can whip that if you like a lighter texture.

• In a small bowl, mix together whichever cream you’re using and the horseradish.

• Start off by adding 1 tablespoon horseradish.

• Mix everything together and taste.

• Add more horseradish for more kick.

• Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve immediately or keep covered and chilled for up to 2 days. Note that the horseradish flavor will intensify as it sits.