There are many ways that we are used to eating radishes — chopped in salads, slaw or even salsa — but roasting them is the newest (and maybe the most delicious) way to eat them. Melissa Clark, writer for the New York Times discovered roasted radishes when they started popping up in trendy restaurants all over NYC. She decided to try cooking them herself.

“Instead of spicy, crisp and crunchy, these radishes were sweet, succulent and mellow, vaguely like turnips but with a softer bite,” she said about the taste. Try halving radishes and roasting them in the oven with butter and lemon juice.

“Sometimes the most familiar ingredients are the ones with secret lives,” said Clark. Read more.

The quest to make Americans healthier has led multiple food companies to limit the amount of salt in products. The goal is to reduce American’s sodium consumption by 20 percent. The National Salt Reduction Initiative announced on April 26 is a public-private partnership started in New York City.

“Sodium is a major cause of high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart attack and stroke,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Companies including H.J. Heinz, Co., Kraft Foods Inc. and Starbucks have committed to the initiative. Heinz has already reduced sodium in its ketchup by 15 percent.

Mars Foods, creator of Uncle Ben’s flavored rice products, will cut sodium by 25 percent over 5 years. The program mimics a United Kingdom initiative, where salt levels have been reduced by 40 percent or more in some products. Read more.

Choosing the style of a wedding cake may be more difficult than choosing the flavors of the cake, icing and filling. What is everybody eating now? Popular wedding cakes for 2010 include tall cakes with five to seven tiers. Sophisticated monogrammed wedding cakes, edible painted cakes and cakes in the shape of pretty baubles are also hot right now.

According to wedding planners this year, couples will be saying goodbye to cute cupcake towers and simple wedding cakes. More couples will opt for stylish cakes that make a statement. This means taller cakes with more layers and intricate details in bold colors. Also the Groom’s Cake is making a popular comeback. This is a great way for the groom to put his own personality into the wedding reception.

This year we are seeing brides who are looking to mix modern designs and traditional, elegant designs into their wedding cakes. This seems to be building upon a trend that has emerged over the past several years where brides are looking to personalize their cakes by tying in themes, favorite accents, and patterns that match their invitation or even their wedding dress (i.e. lace work).

Black and white cakes are popular again this year. White on white cakes will always be classic and elegant, but bolder accent colors for the design work, even using chocolate, is becoming more and more popular. Cake designers are also using more buttercream and less fondant to create a smooth , satin look. The benefits of this approach are many—it looks good, tastes great and is more cost effective. Brides are seeking cakes with natural colors and simpler designs, with a “less is more” attitude.

Modern brides are looking to be more creative with their wedding cakes. The wedding cake is a great way for the bride and groom to express themselves and tell their story to their guests. Many brides are having their cakes adorned to look like vintage lace doilies painted with their vows or a favorite poem.

Nature is the theme for 2010 wedding cakes. This year you may find wedding cakes filled with fresh fruit pieces. Strawberries, blackberries, peaches, mangoes and other fruits would be used to embellish the wedding cake. Another natural trend is the use of real flowers to adorn cakes instead of buttercream or sugarpaste flowers.

According to Anton Obernberger, owner of Watergate Pastry, “Traditional wedding cakes are always the most popular and I think they always will be. By traditional I mean either tiered or tiered with columns as opposed to something elaborate on a wedding cake stand or with fountains.” Obernberger also said that he recommends buttercream frosting to his clients because it tastes so much better than fondant.

Colette Peters, pastry chef and owner of Colette’s Cakes in New York City said, “People want something that is very personal, something to do with them like a custom made topper that looks like them or something to do with the brides dress. Or maybe if they met on a mountain top, they want it to look like a mountain or different things that are much more personal, not just flowers and piping and that sort of stuff. This seems to be the way things are going.”

Wedding cakes for 2010 are a mix of traditional and modern styles of wedding cakes. So in 2010 you can have a beautiful wedding cake that also tastes great!