French Violet Radishes
Estimated Inventory, bunch : 0
Description/Taste
French Violet radishes are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 3 to 6 centimeters in length, and have a straight and tapered, cylindrical shape. The radish’s skin is smooth, thin, and taut, showcasing dark purple hues at the top of the root, transitioning into a vibrant violet and ending in a white tip. Underneath the surface, the flesh is white, dense, and firm with a succulent and crisp, snap-like quality. French Violet radishes have a mild, semi-sweet, and peppery flavor with subtle earthy undertones. In addition to the roots, each radish is attached to several slender pale green stems with textured, broad, and flat, oval green leaves. The leaves are also edible and provide a crisp and tender texture with a vegetal, peppery, and slightly grassy taste.
Seasons/Availability
French Violet radishes are available year-round.
Current Facts
French Violet radishes, botanically classified as Raphanus sativus, are a specialty variety belonging to the Brassicaceae family. The violet-hued cultivar was released to commercial markets in 2018 by Babé Farms in California and is marketed as a modern, premium variety grown in limited quantities. Babé Farms selected French Violet radishes as an addition to their extensive line of radishes as the purple-hued roots are meant to complement the classic French breakfast radishes, the most popular radish sold within the farm’s catalog. French Violet radishes have a similar appearance to French breakfast radishes, but the variety has a vibrant purple hue compared to the classic red-pink shades. The new radishes are also favored for their mild, peppery flavor, crisp nature, and versatility in culinary preparations used in raw and cooked dishes.
Nutritional Value
French Violet radishes are a good source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and calcium to build strong bones and teeth. The radishes also provide anthocyanins, colored pigments found within the skin and flesh that provide antioxidant-like properties to protect the cells against free radical damage and contain other minerals, including iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, and folic acid.
Applications
French Violet radishes have a mild, peppery flavor and crisp nature well suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The radishes are most popularly sliced, coated in butter and salt, and eaten straight as a snack or served with bread as a breakfast or appetizer. The roots can also be layered into sandwiches, served on avocado toast or bagels with cream cheese, lemon juice, and dill, sliced into salads and slaws, or chopped into salsa. The crisp nature of the roots adds texture to tacos, sushi, and grain bowls, or they can be used as an edible garnish on the rim of cocktails. In addition to fresh applications, French Violet radishes can be utilized in cooked preparations, lightly poached in butter, roasted with other root vegetables, sautéed as a side dish, or incorporated into stir-fries, soups, and casseroles. The radishes can also be blended into pesto with pine nuts or pickled for extended use. Beyond the roots, French Violet radish greens can be washed and mixed into salads or lightly sauteed and served as a peppery side dish. French Violet radishes pair well with dark leafy greens, fennel, herbs such as mint, cilantro, and parsley, shallots, chives, cucumbers, avocado, root vegetables such as parsley root, carrots, and sweet potato, goat cheese, quinoa, and whole-grain mustard. Whole, unwashed radishes will keep 3 to 5 days when stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Babé Farms utilized social media to promote the release of French Violet radishes. The farm’s marketing team released eye-catching images on Instagram to highlight the radish’s vibrant flesh coloring, as purple was a trending color, especially in food posts, throughout 2018. Babé Farms also created TGIFresh, a social media campaign where the farm featured a unique produce item paired with a trending hashtag every other Friday. These posts acted as an informational piece, including facts about the item’s availability, history, flavor, and culinary importance while increasing product recognition. In addition to their social media campaign, Babé Farms also established the slogan “Breaking Rad!” a company-wide phrase to advertise and promote their radish varieties in a memorable, light-hearted way.
Geography/History
French Violet radishes were released in 2018 by Babé Farms in Santa Maria Valley, California. The cylindrical radishes were selected for their colorful nature and mild, peppery flavor and were debuted at United Fresh, an industry event where farmers, buyers, and other attendees gather to network and reveal new items for the upcoming year. Since their release, French Violet radishes have been grown in limited quantities in the Santa Maria Valley in California’s Central Coast. Today French Violet radishes are marketed as a specialty variety and are primarily sold through select distribution partners of Babé Farms across the United States. These distributors then sell the radishes to chefs, grocers, and consumers.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include French Violet Radishes. One
is easiest, three is harder.
