Dip.
Yuck. I don’t do it. I don’t throw the contents of my fridge in to my food processor with a random dairy product and serve it with carrots. I avoid those anonymous bowls of creamed elements at parties because double dipping grosses me out. There’s always random crumbs of things in there, and I peek in the bowl and slowly back away. I’m not a dip girl.
Except there’s something else. Do you have foods in your life that you think that you don’t like but that you actually do?
Of course I feel that way about dip. Especially when there is radishes involved.
You know how deeply I am committed to my love for the radish. And after the last six weeks of eating them every day, of gently yanking them out of the garden and of stacking them in luxurious mountains at the farmer’s market, I am so not sick of radishes.
But other people seem to be getting there. And so at the market this weekend, instead of relying on the fact that people would eat their radishes naked and immediately (the radishes are naked! Really! Put those dirty thoughts away), we put a nice little bowl of radish dip on the table in the midst of the mountain of radishes, and we gave people bread with which to dip. There was a fat stack of printed radish dip recipes, and I had to swipe one myself before every last copy was taken with excitement and anticipation. Because the truth is… people love a good dip. The thrill of publicly sanctioned finger food, the ubiquitous desire for all substances swirled into cream cheese, sour cream, or (the always healthful and optimistic) yogurt–these perhaps American, perhaps just plain human attributes draw people to that bowl like a fancy mighty strength magnet to an All-Clad stock pot (yes, I’m still fixated on that stock pot) and they are pulled in, little piece of bread or tortilla chip clenched in hand, to dip in.
Go for it. You know you want to.
Radish Dip
adapted from The Farmer’s Market Cookbook, the Indian Line Farm‘s radish table
(and yes, as my picture suggests, this is absolutely the best thing you could put on your bagel)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2-3 bunches red radishes, tops removed, quartered, or about 3 cups
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Mix all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until creamy with some pieces of radish still present in the mix. Taste, and adjust for seasonings. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Occasionally I teach workshops, and I have one coming up this fall. Join me and stellar novelist 
My goodness, we're in tune. These days almost nothing pleases me more than a radish. Thank you for this – I hadn't thought of making dip! Or bagel spread (more likely bagel spread as I don't like dips either).
Made radish butter last week to spread on a homemade white bread–so good. I threw butter into the food processor with radishes. Added a little salt (since the butter was unsalted) and garlic powder for a diff. flavor. mmmmm…I took love radishes!
Also, ever roast them at a high heat (with oil, salt and pepper) until they get crusty on the outside? We do that and then toss the radishes in basalmic vinegar. Mmmmm…
I found this site while trying to figure out what to do with all my radishes, and I must say, I'm loving what you are doing here. I'll be back again soon. I tried this dip a few minutes ago and Oh. My. God. It's soo good! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Lynne… and welcome!
I made this today with the sad, tiny results of my second radish planting, and oh, my, so good. I substituted 2/3 Monterey goat cheese (thyme and olive oil) for some of the cream cheese (bc I didn't have enough cream cheese!) and it's sheer heaven. Thank you!