Description
This heritage Italian variety of chicory is one of our favourites. Sweet flavour and crisp texture - this is a variety for chicory noobs. It rivals iceberg lettuce for crispness but with a much more aromatic, complex flavour. Outer, deep green leaves have more radicchio bitterness than the yellow hearts. Pan di Zucchero grow to an impressive size - about 40cm long - a satisfying green to grow.
Sowing and planting timing is important to grow chicory successfully. Sow in mid-late July and plant out promptly. Chicory like to germinate in the cool.
Sow: mid-late July. Keep seeds cool while germinating.
Plant: 4 weeks after sowing.
Harvest: October-December. Chicory is frost tolerant but the outside leaves can suffer, looking rotten and slimy. Hold your nerve and peel them away to reveal the jewel-like chicory heart.
Kitchen: Best raw in salads but can also be cooked. Cut the hearts in half, marinate and griddle or barbecue. Pairs well with acid (lemon, balsamic vinegar, orange), fats (blue cheese, walnuts, hazelnuts), salty (capers), sweet (winter squash).
~0.5g/350 seeds
ChicPZ-00031-KNG-OG
Germ 77% Dec 24
Photo courtesy of Springtail Farm
