Last year, my garden went crazy with radishes, not a bad thing, but we had more than enough to eat, so I left some to go to seed. I was trying to get seeds for the following season, in an attempt to duplicate my success in saving yard-long bean seeds.

The radish plants grew long, tall, and lanky, seeding out into pods that looked liked tubular pea pods with lumpy peas inside. As they dried, I would split them open and extract the seeds for future plantings. I used most of them up, with excellent results, and filed the method away for future plantings.

However, in doing some research recently, I found that every part of the radish plant is edible, including the pod. In particular, the pods are tastiest when young and succulent, before they start to dry with the mature seeds in them, much like young pea pods.

I wasn’t overly excited for a bit, since they have a strong resemblance to peas and beans, both legumes and not allowed in the Paleo lifestyle, so I figured I would sadly add them to my personal “Do Not Eat” list. That is until I recalled that radishes are part of the Brassica family, cabbages, broccoli, and turnips, and kale – all staples of my Paleo lifestyle!

These are pods I can eat! I had tasty food in my hands and didn’t know to try it! Bummer!

So I started digging around for the best option for growing radishes for their pods, only to find that the preferred variety of radish grown for the pods is called “Rat Tail Radish”. Who the hell named a tasty vegetable after a vile rodent? I can think of a bunch of better names, “Javelin radish”, “Spear point Radish”, “Radish Beans”, “Pod Radish”, or even “Scorpion Stings”…but “Rat Tail”?  Ick.

But everything I’ve read  agrees that they are tastylicious, so I’ve ordered some to add to my garden. And if they work out well, will be added as a regular entry. Maybe I’ll start selective breeding and offer the seeds for sale.

Re branded of course. I’m liking “Scorpion Sting” 🙂

I’ll keep you updated as they mature and I get to taste-test them.

Peace,
db