*This seed is offered as part of the "Gusto Italiano Project", a collaborative partnership between Uprising Seeds, Italian breeders Smarties.Bio, and the Culinary Breeding Network. Certified organic seed is grown in Italy by Smarties.Bio.
Variety: "Delta" Type: Variegato di Lusia Day to Maturity (slot): 90 (mid)
Radicchio Variegato di Lusia, named after the town which lies about halfway between Chioggia and Verona in Northern Italy's Veneto, can be thought of as a mashup of Chioggia shape and Castelfranco color patterning. The attractive round heads are slightly less dense but feauture the same diffuse veining pattern as the well known Chioggia types with wine red flecking on leaves that are light green on the exterior fading to buttery yellow toward the core. The red flecking gets more and more pronounced towards the center. Like many of the pale to gold radicchi its bitterness is very mild and its texture most akin to lettuce family greens with a tender crisp crunch (think iceberg meets romaine for an after-dinner amaro). Its a beautiful addition to salads shredded raw and we'll always recommend grilled wedges for just about any of the radicchio types. An excellent choice to win people over to this family of bitter delights or to dip a toe in yourself.
