{iced}

{From the top: Watermelon, Cherry Belle and French Breakfast radishes chill out} 

ny, ny

Everyone knows the best way to eat radishes is raw with good butter and coarse sea salt {I like pasture-raised organic butter and coarse grey salt}. But it also helps to know the best way to prep your radishes after you pull them from the soil.

Radishes love cool weather, which is why we plant them after the first frost and why they're often the first thing to pop up. They're happy to grow into early summer, but a good soak in an ice bath perks up both their roots and their tender tops after they've had a roast in the sun. The same trick works wonders for radishes from the farmer's market who've had all afternoon to wilt in the heat.

When you grow your own radishes, every little bit is usable. Trim the ends, munch on the middle and toss tender green tops into salad, or cook larger leaves with garlic and greens {like turnip and mustard greens}. And, don't forget to plant a new row of seeds every time you pluck a few to keep your crudité platter in plenty.