The Tradition

Just as every fall brought football into our house, every spring brought Horseradish. Dad would arrive home with a case of ruby-red beets, fresh horseradish root and a bag of ‘secret ingredients.’ Come the weekend, he’d grab the graters, kick the kids out of the kitchen, and get to work.

If, like most people, you’ve never tried making horseradish, let me explain. The root is extremely hard, and very difficult to grate. And once you ‘break the skin’, the fumes emitted are so intense, that it’s difficult to see or even breathe. That said, I agreed—with ski goggles in hand—to be Dad’s apprentice. (A few years later, Dad realized that if we were going to continue, he’d need something more protective: an Israeli gas mask.)

Originally, Dad made Sherman Garden’s Kosher-for- Passover Beet Horseradish for family and close friends. But, once friends began sharing it, word spread quickly about ‘Larry Sherman’s special recipe.’ Requests grew, and before long Dad was making, bottling, labeling and delivering over 200 jars each spring, to adoring fans.