Variegato di Castelfranco Radicchio

If Treviso Tardivo is the King of Radicchio, Castelfranco is the queen. Called ‘The Tulip of Winter’ because of its distinct tulip-like shape, variegated Castelfranco is most refined and elegant. There is an old story in the Veneto of a noblewoman from Castelfranco attending a wintertime premier at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan who adorned her gown with a head of Castelfranco radicchio. Everyone believed it was an exotic flower imported from far away.

Castelfranco radicchio have a beautiful tulip-like shape, with an open architecture that resembles a lettuce. The leaves are thin, yet crisp. Like Variegato di Lusia, they start out green with red flecks and become buttery yellow with more red flecks as you move towards the heart. The flavor is mild for a chicory, but still with some lovely radicchio bitterness.

When to Find: November-March

Varieties: SM 4.22, Cecilia, Castellano Tardivo, Castelfranco Franchi