The colour of the radish—reddish—is not where this hot root takes its name; rather, it derives, through Italian and then French, from the Latin word radix, meaning root. Other words that derive from the same source include eradicate, meaning to uproot, and radical, which originally denoted a person championing a return to the “grassroots” of society. The word radish dates back a thousand years in English, long before the appearance in 1968 of radicchio, the name of another salad vegetable whose name also derives, through Italian, from the Latin radix. Radish also appears in horseradish, a plant whose hot root is made into a condiment. The horse of horseradish does not mean it is eaten by that animal; rather, horse has been frequently prefixed to the names of fruits and vegetables to indicate a particularly common or coarse species. At least forty such compounds exist, including horse-parsley, horse-cucumber, and horse-mushroom. The word horseradish appeared at the end of the sixteenth century.
A petite vegetable, distinguished by its vibrant red or white-and-red hues, possesses a distinctive and subtly fiery taste. This culinary gem serves as a valuable enhancement to a wide array of salads, adding a touch of piquancy. Notably versatile, it remains readily accessible throughout the year, ensuring its availability regardless of the season.