Horseradish: Low crop yield, big kick

That dash of horseradish, a spicy staple for many a prime- rib dinner, could taste a lot zestier soon.

Word from southern Illinois - the self-proclaimed "Horseradish Capital of the World" - is that this season's crop will likely produce a record low yield because of extreme summer heat. But the roots that survive will likely pack a punch.

Depending on the farm, the crop could be off from 10 percent to almost half the usual bounty.

For farmers, that's bad news because it will mean far lower profits. But the dry conditions also seem to have killed off the usual attack of fungi. The result: a whiter root without much of the usual contamination.

That could have horseradish lovers salivating by next spring, when Passover and Easter meals are ready for the fiery condiment. The brighter the root, the more pungent the sauce, horseradish aficionados say.

"The quality is up," says Carl Weissert, who has been growing horseradish roots for decades on several plots surrounded by the blighted urban landscape of East St. Louis. "I see good flowers and good colors."

The Illinois side of metro St. Louis has long been the nation's horseradish belly of America. Most folks don't know of its claim to fame, as the state does little to publicize it.

The rich and fertile land of the Mississippi River bottoms has long been a perfect spot for growing the roots, which are later crushed and turned into a spicy condiment known to quickly clear sinuses and even relieve back pains.

No one is sure how much is grown in southern Illinois. But estimates are the region provides up to two-thirds of the 24 million pounds of roots that created about six million gallons of horseradish sauce.

The expected shortage is likely to have no impact in price or quantity for consumers because, growers say, there's always more than enough horseradish to meet demands.