Late Red Radicchio from Treviso (Cichorium intybus)

Radicchio Rosso from Treviso  (Cichorium intybus): this late variety  from Trevigiano holds famous organoleptic characteristics. The beautiful red leaves, close with the first drop of temperatures and create a tight head. The stalks are fleshy and crunchy, the taste is bitter and rich in nuances. Easy to cultivate and undemanding for soil, however, it requires a constant water supply, avoiding water stagnation, as well as good soil processing. It is very resistant to cold and can be harvested in the middle of winter. It is sown from April to September and, like the other chicory, it is biennial and it's necessary to wait the following spring to reproduce the seeds. A word of advice, let the best plants reach full maturity. To improve the produce, a "bleaching" process is necessary, as explained below.

The blanching technique is useful for improving the organoleptic qualities of radicchio, thanks to a more delicate flavor and a more tender texture. The process involves depriving the central part of the plant of light, giving the stalks a whiter appearance. There are several techniques; for home gardens, the simplest involves earthing up the plant about twenty days before harvest and tying the leaves of the head with string or a rubber band to close them, so that the outer leaves are tightly closed and the central part remains dark. When harvesting, the outer leaves must be removed to reveal the central stalk, with its exposed, beautiful white leaves.

We've provided a link to another bleaching technique, suitable for larger plots. The video was also filmed for the commendable Entroterra social agriculture project, which engages political refugees and people with mental health issues in a process of social reintegration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeyO6hU1R-g&vl=en