Radicchio (Goriziana), 'Voglia'

*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: 'Voglia'
Type: Goriziana
Harvest: Nov-January plus ~2 weeks forcing

I have a problem with Gorizia-type radicchio. Somewhat of a compulsion, really. It might be my favorite thing to grow, full stop. We don't even sell it from our farm really, yet some years I pretend 1000 row ft is a perfectly reasonable amount to put in. You know, for um... personal use(?). And it's not like it's easy to grow, not like you can be flip about it. It's in the ground for 4 months. Then you have to dig them up from the cold wet late fall/early winter field, bring them inside, and grow them some more... in bins, or indoor shallow lagoons, in darkness for another couple of weeks. If you are a lover of plant form or just a lover of exquisite beauty, the result will take your breath away. I'll be honest, Rosa di Gorizia could taste like liver and onions and I would likely still do all that work to grow it. That it is a delicious bite, with a subtle and refreshing bitterness and delicate crispness makes me feel like plants love me in a way I might not deserve.

This type of radicchio is grown around the town of Gorizia which straddles the border of Slovenia in the northeast corner of Italy, in the foothills of the alps. Originally it was grown because it represented one of the only ways to make income on farms in the winter from vegetable growing, but it has since become a celebrated seasonal specialty and culinary delicacy.

When we first started working with Smarties.bio we weren't going to bring in their Goriziana as we already have one we grow ourselves, 'Isontina', however, we've grown quite fond of theirs. 'Voglia' is a little more robust, if you will, a little thicker leaf and sturdier ribbing. Its leaf margins tend to be lightly serrated and there is often a color contrast between the top and bottom of the leaf, which makes for a very elegant look. It is very uniform in shape and very cold hardy. While Isontina is a bit more delicate and variable in shape, sometimes more orchid than rose after forcing, 'Voglia' is very much rose. It also seems less affected by rot or decay in the forcing room.

As with all radicchio, be especially mindful of your planting dates as a successful crop requires a MUCH narrower planting window than most garden vegetables. We encourage you to read our Radicchiology page where we've tried to share a good deal of growing and cultural information. If you are unfamiliar with "forcing" radicchio, it's a good place to start.

Packet: 100 seeds