So Raphanus sativus,
Or is it Raphanistrum sativus ?
You have delivered tongue fun
To our salads since Roman times;
Catullus records that you were
Inserted into adulterers
Possibly accompanied by a fish
A fundamentally harsh punishment
It is not recorded if the fish were raw;
In Japan radish and fish are associated
In a less distressing fashion ~
Sushi is served with the hot
Wasabi paste made from fermented
Radish or Daikon which is much
Larger than European radishes
Myself I prefer to eat radishes rather
Than use them as tools of retribution;
I love the moment when the myrosinase
Released by crunching the bitter flesh
Breaks down the pungent glucosinolates
To flood the mouth with allyl isothiocyanates
Wasabi !!