Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in a dry, cool place.

Ingredients

Horseradish

Horseradish is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes mustard, cabbage and wasabi. The plant, which is cultivated for its root, is most likely native to eastern Europe and Asia, but is popular worldwide for its unique flavor and aroma. It is sometimes pulverized, dyed green and used as a replacement for the Japanese condiment wasabi, due to scarcity of the wasabi plant and horseradish's similar (although hotter) flavor profile.

The popularity of horseradish dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, who regarded the plant for its medicinal properties and ability to irritate the mucus membranes of the sinuses and eyes. According to Greek mythology, the Oracle at Delphi told Apollo that Horseradish was worth its weight in gold. Both the root and the leaves were used for medicinal purposes during the Middle Ages. The root of the plant is still used to relieve headaches in some parts of the American South by rubbing it onto the forehead.

During the Middle Ages, the root of the Horseradish plant was used as a condiment for meat in Scandanavia, Germany and Britain. Horseradish cream sauce is still a popular accompaniment to roast beef. Horseradish is also a common flavor component of the tomato juice-based Bloody Mary cocktail.

Horseradish is an essential symbol in the Jewish Passover meal, or Seder. According to Eastern European Jewish tradition, its bitterness symbolizes the hardship that the Jewish people endured when they were enslaved in Egypt. Eating it with the flat, crunchy matzo cracker is intended to serve as a reminder of the difficulties the Jewish forebears overcame.