Name: German Beer Radish
Found at: Common Ground fair, Unity ME
Season: Late summer/early fall
The German Beer Radish (variety Munchen Bier, Raphanus sativus) is a snappy white radish that is traditionally served with beer either salted or lightly sweetened with sugar. According to some reports it is the seed pods that are served with beer.
I tried it on a cool early autumn Sunday afternoon with a pint of Lefty's Irish-Style Stout. I had got two of them on Saturday at the Common Ground Fair in Unity Maine, and was saving one to share with Richmond.
I tried it both plain and salted. I did not try it with sugar, and I did not have the seedpods to try.
The radish, as you can see in the photo, is all-white. It is a bland-looking thing, but it has the distinctive radish flavor that I think would go well in any salad or other treatment. The flavor is milder than the radishes that we are familiar with, but it is big enough that a slice still provides plenty of flavor. I wouldn't cook it.
I think the basic idea of the radishes with a heavy dark beer is a sound one. Tomorrow Richmond and I will try it again with a Mayflower Barley Wine for confirmation of that idea. If I can get my hands on a lager, we'll try that, too. for now, take this, and the radish, with a grain of salt.
Actually, I can't say that the salt added a lot to the experience. We are talking about some strong flavors here, and neither the pungent radish nor the malty stout needs any help. It may be that the radishes in Munich come from the local equivalent of Stop & Shop and lack the flavor of the lovely organic ones that I got in Maine.
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