Top 5 ways to celebrate National Horseradish Month

Enjoy some Referent horseradish-infused vodka at Moscow on the Hill

​Not only was horseradish named "herb of the year" by the International Herb Association this year, July also happens to be National Horseradish Month, making this the perfect time to seek out local dishes and beverages that feature this biting, eye-watering herb.

The Hot Dish has put together a list of the top five ways to celebrate National Horseradish Month here in the Twin Cities.

1. Horseradish mashed potatoes at the Lyndale Tap House
Perfect for the wary and/or uninitiated, the horseradish mashed potatoes at the Lyndale Tap House offer a way to ease into the biting flavor of the herb, which in this dish is enveloped in the soft creaminess of starchy potatoes. A good gateway drug, if you will.

2. Oysters on the half shell at Stella's Fish Cafe
What goes better with horseradish than seafood? The oysters at Stella's Fish Cafe are just $1 a pop during happy hour, or 69 cents each from 3 to 6 on Friday afternoons. They come served with cocktail sauce, horseradish, lemon, and Tabasco. Did you know that both oysters and horseradish have historically been touted as powerful aphrodisiacs? Put them together and who knows what could happen...

3. Bloody Mary bar at Pizza Luce
The Pizza Luce locations that offer weekend brunch (Hopkins, downtown Minneapolis, Duluth, and St. Paul) are all fully equipped with a killer build-your-own bloody Mary bar, which of course features abundant horseradish. When other pre-noon cocktail crafters fail you, head to your nearest Luce and heap in as much horseradish (and everything else from Tabasco to garlic cloves) as you want.

4.The roast beef sandwich at Mayslack's
The only other thing that pairs as well with horseradish as seafood is roast beef. And when you have a hankering for a roast beef sandwich in the Twin Cities, there's one clear destination. Mayslack's became famous in the 1950s for its epic roast beef sandwich, served with a generous side of piping hot horseradish in a jar. This iconic sandwich is also now available at the TCF Bank Stadium on the U of M campus.

5. Referent horseradish vodka at Moscow on the Hill
When a bloody Mary seems like too many notes and you're ready to cut straight to the chase, head to Moscow on the Hill for a shot of Referent horseradish vodka, distilled in nearby New Richmond, Wisconsin, with locally grown horseradish. Named Best Vodka by the City Pages this year, it's the perfect digestif after a hearty meal.