That funny looking thing that looked like a cross between a post-nuclear-holocaust carrot and an anime tentacle monster?

Horseradish. It grows in the front of my yard near the ditch, and in Mom and Dad’s in a little “patch” near the field. All I know is it grows on its own and it’s nearly impossible to kill.

Every year before Christmas, Dad digs up the horseradish roots and makes the condiment we call horseradish. Not to be confused with the plant itself. Except for the whole sharing-a-name thing.

It starts out like this, a pile of gnarled, muddy roots.

Dad puts them on the low screened table I use to cure onions.

Then, hook up the power washer!

Go to town on the horseradish roots.

Cats and other small animals may choose to avoid the spraying mist of ice cold water.

Eventually the mud washes down the drain (you do have a power washer-equipped shop with a drain in the floor, right?).

And you have clean horseradish roots, ready to make horseradish with.

win a jar of homemade horseradish

Dad’s horseradish, while simple to make (see recipe below), earns raves. He makes it every Christmas and gives it away as gifts. One year Uncle Rich spread horseradish on a sandwich and took a bite. Immediately his eyes began to water and his voice left him, and he croaked out, “That’s good horseradish.”

To win a jar of your own good horseradish, just leave a comment below describing what you like to put horseradish on or in. Deadline is Thursday, February 4 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Winner will be announced Friday. Be sure to leave an e-mail so I can contact you. Good luck!

In the meantime, if you can find some horseradish root, you could always make up some of your own while you wait.

horseradish

2 cups peeled and cubed horseradish root
¾ cup white vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor. Process until the mixture is of spreadable consistency. Spoon into half-pint jars and refrigerate.

Horseradish will keep, refrigerated, for several months.