Castelfranco variegated radicchio

The Castelfranco variegated radicchio differs from all the others for its leaves, whose shape recalls that of the rose petals. These leaves, large and slightly curled, are creamy white and accented with hints of red. A nice legend says that many years ago, a beautiful and noble lady from Castelfranco Veneto, attending the premiere of an opera at the Scala Theatre in Milan, used the heart of a radicchio of her hometown to embellish her dress, receiving compliments for what everybody thought was an exotic flower.
The flavor is quite bitterish but delicate and very pleasant.
It is rich in minerals and thanks to the absence of proteins or fats, it is ideal for a diet with a low caloric content. Thanks to the delicacy of its leaves, it is excellent raw, in salads.

Chioggia radicchio

The Red Chioggia is certainly one of the best known varieties of radicchio and thanks to its ability to adapt to different climates and soils and its ability to keep, this radicchio has conquered all markets and prevails on the tables worldwide.
This variety is characterized by a roundish and compact shape, slightly flat on the top, with bright red leaves. Its flavor is fresh and bitterish and this variety is rich in minerals, in particular calcium, phosphor, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamins of the B group.
The Red Chioggia radicchio, besides being excellent for cooking, has diuretic and depurative properties and thanks to its fibre content it is recommended for digestive difficulties. This radicchio is available year-round, in spring and summer as well.

Early and late red radicchio

Early red radicchio

The botanical name of the chicory spontaneous species is Chichorium Intubus.
The early radicchio, available from September, has long heads with tight, large and bright pink-colored leaves and a big white rib. The flavor of this variety is slightly more bitterish and the consistence quite crisp. It is a radicchio grown with classic cultivation techniques and this is why it is cheaper than the others. It tastes good but it is less precious than its late brother. As for cooking, this is best used in barbecues.

Late red radicchio

The late radicchio is marketed in mid November, has excellent organoleptic properties, is very fragrant and tasty. Its heads are made of compact and regular buds which tend to close on the top, with more narrow and red-purple-colored leaves and a totally white rib. This variety is grown with the so-called forcing and whitening process which allows the plant to reproduce and form the main bud and the leaves. And it is just this bud that after the elimination of the old leaves, the clearing and the thimming of the root, forms the famous and prestigious product that reaches national and international markets.

Verona radicchio

It seems to be a variety of the Red Treviso Radicchio, but shorter. It has a spheroidal shape, with red roundish leaves which in Autumn form a compact heart, while the main rib is white and very developed. Verona Radicchio can be divided into “early” and “late” variety; the former has leaves which turn deep bright red because of the harsh winter temperatures and which give the head its typical compact heart by leaning against each other. On the contrary, the late variety undergoes a second transformation after the harvesting, which implies a forced whitening phase during which the plants are horizontally gathered to form a pile. The whitening process gives the leaves their typical crispiness and their bitterish flavour.