Horseradish
A pungent root vegetable from the Brassicaceae family, used worldwide as a spice and condiment.
Horseradish is a tall plant with large leaves and a white tapered root that is cultivated for its pungent flavor.[1][2] Horseradish belongs to the mustard family, and allyl isothiocyanate is the compound responsible for its pungent flavor.[2][3]
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Armoracia
- Species
- rusticana
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Horseradish has been cultivated since antiquity.[4] Pliny the Elder recommended it for medicinal qualities under the name Amoracia.[5] The word "horseradish" first appeared in print in 1597 in John Gerarde's English herbal.[2] Hungary produces 12,000 metric tonnes annually, making it Europe's biggest single producer.[6]
Medieval traditional medicine employed both the roots and leaves of horseradish.[7] In Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain, the root served as a condiment for meat dishes.[7] European colonists brought horseradish to North America, and garden records from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson note its presence.[7]
What the cited sources add
The Huntsinger Farms account notes that horseradish is naturally preserved with vinegar and salt, and sometimes cream.[2] It states that highest quality horseradish is always found in the refrigerated section of a grocer.[2] Fresh roots may be stored for several months in polyethylene bags at 32 F to 38 F.[2] The account advises grinding fresh horseradish in a well-ventilated room.[2]
It recommends using 2 to 3 tablespoons of white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each cup of grated horseradish.[2]
References
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Stace, "New Flora of the British Isles", C & M Floristics, 2019; "Flora of North America, Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertner, B. Meyer & Scherbius, Oekon. Fl. Wetterau. 2: 426. 1800"; "Flora of China, Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertner et al."; Altervista Flora Italiana, Rafano rusticano, Meerrettich, Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb. includes photos and European distribution map; "Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map"; Stace, "New Flora of the British Isles", C & M Floristics, 2019; Stace, "New Flora of the en.wikipedia.org
- "Horseradish Facts", Huntsinger Farms. facts only, no text reused. huntsingerfarms.com
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Blažević, "Glucosinolate structural diversity, identification, chemical synthesis and metabolism in plants", Phytochemistry, 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Early Modern translators of Dioscurides offered various names.; Pliny the Elder, "The Natural History", H. G. Bohn, 1855 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Courter, "Historical notes on horseradish", Economic Botany, April–June 1969, p. 156–164 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Albert, "Hungary is Europe's horseradish production king", Remix News, 29 March 2021 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Horseradish" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Leighton, "American Gardens in the Eighteenth Century: For Use or for Delight", Houghton Mifflin Co., 1976, p. 431; Lyle, "The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them", FalconGuides, 2010, p. 153–154 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Horseradish (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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