The fundraiser was located at the Ye Shire Tavern in Richardson, Texas. After it ended several of us stayed to have dinner. We had heard their prime rib was exceptional and that’s what we ordered. We were not disappointed. It was while I was enjoying prime rib accompanied by fresh, grated horseradish that I remembered my first experience with horseradish.
My dad always had a garden each summer. He would grow a large selection of fresh vegetables. I was quite small when my horseradish experience happened. I knew what the string beans and corn and tomatoes were, but did not know what the white root was when he dug it up. He told me horseradish. That meant nothing so I picked up a piece of root and popped it into my mouth, biting off a large piece.
I love horseradish. Creamed or grated, I love how it tastes on a good piece of beef and I understand I should use only a little. Well, let me tell you something. If you have ever burned your taste buds with freshly grated horseradish you still have no idea how hot it is when it is fresh out of the ground. When I bit into that root I was immediately certain that my tongue and the inside of my mouth had been destroyed. I couldn’t get into the house quickly enough. The water I drank didn’t help much, either. My dad thought the whole thing was hilarious.
A few years later I began delivering newspapers. While on my route one afternoon I handed the paper to one of my customers who was working in his garden. He was busily harvesting some of the radishes he grew. I love radishes and he gave me one to eat. It was delicious. Then he pulled up a white radish. I had never seen or eaten one of those. When he asked if I would like to try one I said I would. Well, once again I knew I had destroyed the inside of my mouth. Red radishes are spicy. White radishes are pure fire.
You would think I had learned my lessons, wouldn’t you? When I was working in the oil business I traveled a lot. On one trip I was staying in a Hilton Inn at the airport in New Orleans. This was my first trip into the deep South and I was really enjoying the different foods. The Hilton had a very good salad bar at dinner. I love salad bars and took a little of everything. One thing I chose was a dark green pepper. I loved the little, semi-hot peppers you could find on salad bars at home so it seemed safe. When I bit into that fresh jalapeno pepper, I quickly learned my mistake. I couldn’t taste the remainder of my dinner.
Finally, I had learned my lesson. Since that last time I always test a small piece of every new pepper or vegetable. That caution has helped me avoid a few more learning experiences. Then I was introduced to California rolls, pickled ginger and wasabi mustard…