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# 70 • OCTOBER 19 , 2015
The production
The production of Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco IGP begins with
planting in the greenhouse and subsequent transplantation in the field, or
by direct sowing. Sowing
and transplantation must
take place between June
and August, while the harvest begins on 1st October.
Forcing-bleaching is the
fundamental and essential operation that enhances the sensory, product
and aesthetic qualities of
Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco IGP. It is carried
out by placing the heads
in conditions to form new
leaves that, in the absence of light, have almost no
chlorophyll pigments and
highlight the variegation
on the back of the leaf;
these lose their fibrous
texture and become crispy with a pleasantly bitter
taste.
The forcing of Radicchio
Variegato di Castelfranco
IGP mainly takes place in
two ways: by dipping the the right degree of ripeheads vertically in water ness or in a heated enviup to the collar, for the ronment in the open field.
time necessary to achieve
The plants are covered
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with tarps (at one time
they used mostly straw
mattresses) providing the
root system the right degree of moisture, redu-