The weather is still doing its strange dance. It is almost the end of May and we are have temperatures that vary from 5 to 20 degrees below normal. My tomato plants look very strange, the spinach looks good, the peas are fine, the peppers are confused. I have a friend who has a loquat tree which has both blossoms and fruit. That really is confused.

I give you a picture of a sage blossom.... all the sages are more beautiful this year than ever. I guess sage is not easily confused. This morning I did some layering of the beds I wanted to use. A layer of my neighbors grass cuttings and a layer of compost. Remember, I'm no longer digging beds with this new kneee. I put a few things in pots and then gave in to the cold. I had a heavy sweatshirt and heavy pants on and it was just to cold to finish. While I was inside it rained, then the sun came out and so did I. Planted some eggplant (three of the Gretel that I mentioned last year) and then the rain came again and I went inside.

About Radishes

"What's for dinner?"

"Pork chops and radishes."

And he wandered off with a puzzled expression. Can't say that I blamed him. I had never heard of radishes as the vegetable either until I looked at that menu.

We were on vacation in Cambria CA, my favorite place to spend my leisure time. It was about dinner time and we were wandering around the restaurants reading the menus posted outside, trying to make our choice for that evening. I spotted one that said, I forget what the protein was, but it was something served with "radishes sauteed in raspberry vinegar". In my mind I opted for that place immediately just to taste that dish, but "we" didn't. "We" chose one a little more prosaic.

Maybe it was the path not taken, but the thought of sauteed radishes lingered for a long time, until one year I decided to grow some. Hadn't thought of growing them before, don't know why. I searched through my cookbooks trying to find a recipe. I finally found one in a cookbook by Madeleine Kamman, In Madeleine's Kitchen. It is so simple that I offer it only as something quick and easy and something you, like me, might have missed before.

It appears sauteed radishes are not unknown to the French. They use vinegar to set the red, the color of the outer edge of most radishes, but it also add a vital element to the taste. The whole dish becomes mellow in taste and crisp in texture as well as lovely to look at. I have tried it with several vinegars, cider, rice, balsamic and raspberry. All worked well but the raspberry was, I think, the best, and next, the balsamic. The chef in that Cambria restaurant was really on to something.

Radishes are usually grown to be sliced into a salad, to be dipped into salt to accompany a lunch, or breakfast, if you are French. Sliced thin they are nice inserted into a sandwich to enliven that everyday lunch fare. They also make a great quick pickle.

Recipe

Today I pulled the last of the radishes, I am guessing it is the last. One planting is setting seeds; they never did set a root. I picked a few of the flowers from those to decorate the top of this dish; chive flowers or parsley would have done well, too.

Sauteed Radishes

Adapted from Madeleine Kamman's recipe

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 to 2 cup very thinly sliced radishes

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

Salt (finely ground sea salt if you have it)

Freshly ground pepper (be generous)

Garnish: radish flowers, or chive flowers or finely chopped parsley

Wash, trim and slice the radishes very thin. In a skillet heat the butter until it bubbles and just starts to brown. Add the radishes, tossing to coat with butter. Then add the raspberry vinegar. Increase the heat slightly and bring the vinegar to bubbling. Add salt and pepper. Continue cooking and tossing until the radishes are almost translucent and the liquid has almost evaporated Some, but not all varieties, will have a rosy orange tinge by now. Remove from heat and turn into a serving bowl.

Top with garnish if using, and serve immediately.

The radishes complement white meats especially. Turkey breast, chicken, or pork are all good companions here, as is macaroni and cheese.