THE RED CHICORY OF TREVISO AND VARIEGATED CHICORY OF CASTELFRANCO VENETO - VENETO - ITALY

The Red Chicory of Treviso and the Variegated Chicory of Castelfranco Veneto are two vegetables belonging to the family of chicories.

The Red Chicory of Treviso and the Variegated Chicory of Castelfranco Veneto are among the most important agricultural produces in Veneto – Italy and they were obtained after centuries of cultivation and selection.

There are two kinds of Red Chicory of Treviso: the Early Red Chicory of Treviso and the Late Red Chicory of Treviso which has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) trademark, the Variegated Chicory of Castelfranco Veneto has the same PGI trademark.

The sale of these two chicories of Treviso happen in late autumn till the begin of winter.
The Chicory of Treviso is the fruit of an expert alliance between selection and use of waters of the river Sile which are employed to plunge the roots of vegetables for some days after the harvest to give produce that dainty taste and that color which render it unique.

The late red chicory red of Treviso and the early red chicory of Treviso are cultivated in the country of Treviso from the half of July till the late autumn.

The most important places for the cultivation of the Red Chicory of Treviso are the grounds of these towns: Treviso, Preganziol, Scorzè, Villorba, Carbonera, Casale sul Sile, Mogliano Veneto, Casier and Morgano and a small part of the territory in Padua province, Veneto - Italy. Zero Branco is one of the most famous areas for cultivation of the red chicory of Treviso and it is also seat of Red Chicory of Treviso and Variegated Chicory of Castelfranco Association.

The show of Red Chicory of Treviso, which took place in the main square in Treviso on December 20, 1900, was the first event dedicated to this vegetable documented historically.

The Variegated Chicory of Castelfranco Veneto has wide leaves with white, yellow, green, red streaks.

The Red Chicory of Treviso is sold in bunches; the red leaves have a white rib wide at least a centimeter and twenty-centimeters long leaves; the rib is white in the late red chicory and it is slightly coloured in the early red chicory of Treviso.

It is crisp and its taste is pleasantly bitterish.

There are other species of red chicory cultivated in Veneto; they are Red Chicory of Chioggia (it is sold in hearts) and Red Chicory of Verona, which is cultivated in province of Verona, Vicenza and Padua and it is picked between November and February.