During the cold winter in Treviso countryside, around the river Sile, grows the Radicchio Rosso from Treviso, a real Italian delicacy.
It has been cultivated since the second half of the 16th century, and it is the result of a patient technique developed from the farmers in order to preserve the radicchio that grows in the fields during the winter time.
The seeds are planted between 1st June and 31st July, whist the harvesting begins around November-December, after at least two frosts that give to the radicchio its nice red colour.
Once the radicchio is harvested, it is cleaned and positioned vertically inside of tanks with running fresh water at the temperature of 12-13 degrees, where it is kept for 15 days. This phase is called "Bleaching" because inside of each bunch of radicchio, between the rotten leaves, grows a beautiful bud which thanks to the absence of light it is white with deep red coloured tops, it is crunchy and has a distinctive bitter taste.
The final phase is to remove all the rotten leaves and the roots, and the beautiful buds are used to make delicious dishes, or can be eaten raw in a salad.
Radicchio kept in tanks during the bleaching phase
The radicchio buds that grow inside of rotten leaves
Radicchio from Treviso ready to be sold