2 December: Horseradish

In the French Revolutionary Calendar, 2 December is the day of Raifort (Horseradish). Here are 10 things you might not know about horseradish.

1. The Latin name for horseradish is Armoracia rusticana, and it belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes Mustard, wasabi, Broccoli, and Cabbage.
2. According to Greek mythology, the Delphic Oracle told Apollo that the horseradish was worth its weight in Gold.
3. In Ancient Rome, it was most likely the plant mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History under the name of Amoracia. He recommended it for medical use. The plant appears in murals in Pompeii.
4. In the Middle Ages, the root and leaves were used for medicinal purposes. One such use was rubbing it on the forehead to relieve headaches.
5. Horseradish is known for its pungency, but the root, when dug intact out of the ground has no aroma at all. The pungency comes from a chemical called allyl isothiocyanate, which is released when the root is damaged, as the plant's natural defence against herbivores.
6. The word horseradish was first used for the plant in the 1590s. It combines the words horse and radish, “horse” having the figurative meaning of strong or coarse. Before that, it was sometimes known as redcole or stingnose.
7. Its most common use in the UK is as a condiment with roast beef. It is usually mixed with vinegar. In the US it is more commonly mixed with salad dressing or mayonnaise to eat with salads or in Sandwiches. In Germany, they sometimes mix it with Lemon juice to make something they call Tafelmeerrettich. Another UK variation is to mix it with mustard. This blend is known as Tewkesbury mustard. Shakespeare mentions this in Henry IV Part II, when Falstaff says of someone, "his wit's as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard".
8. In Germany, they brew horseradish to make schnapps, and even add it to Beer.
9. A teaspoon of horseradish contains just two calories. It also has a high content of Vitamin C with a moderate amount of sodium, folate and dietary fibre.
10. Sales of bottled horseradish began in 1860, so it is one of the earliest convenience foods.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

Available from Createspace, Amazon and Amazon Kindle