Horseradish. What an elusive, bark ridden powerhouse that sleeps most of its life, conserving every sucker punch a life might have it throw. Then, reaching an oxygen rich environment, it just decides the timing right and is nothing less than a life-sucking taste monger in white, stressing over nothing and anihillating anyone with a five foot span.

I was in a good space.

The second day of spring, the air cool and a touch breezy, smoker crafting deliciousness to my immediate left, and the sunshine. There was definitely sunshine. I pared it down, crafted my next move and gathered parts and pieces to move inside for the grinding part.

And that was the change.

I had a window open on the ready. It’s rather simple, making freshly prepared horseradish, which, I believe is where you’re too invested to recall the halon-based hellscape that soon arrives.

The trick is to get really good at holding your breath and working with your eyes closed. That absolutely helps. I practiced this maneuver and hyperventilated when I would periodically escape to the side porch. Got rather good at it, too. Grating, stirring, **one blink check** barrel down pulsate, exhale, drop the towel, …run. side porch exhale, shallow breathing to restore lung function, then a lather-rinse-repeat to the final product. *Boom, freshly ground horseradish!

Easy peasy.

And now there are stores of this bitey delight for the year before us. Though I did almost die. (Totally worth it).