Rose Radish

The last of my veggie gifts from the Civic Center farmer's market was a watermelon radish, so beautiful inside that I was stunned by the color when I sliced it open. Again, it was a new-to-me vegetable - I had seen them on other blogs but never tasted one, and somehow the reality is far more beautiful than any photograph can convey. In addition to the astounding color, the inside scintillates with moisture and texture - you have to see it to understand.

After admiring it for a while, I decided to serve it with unsalted butter and flaky sea salt, a simple preparation to showcase its beauty. When I pulled out my handpainted Tour d'Argent butter dish, for which I paid an outrageous number of euros last time I was in Paris, I was struck by how perfectly the colors matched, so I got a little artsy with the presentation.

The flavor is mildly radish, not as sharp as the cherry red-and-white ones; the butter adds richness and the salt adds savor. I will certainly serve this to guests, both for its interesting flavor and for the shock of its rosy beauty.