In the early 1980s, as radicchio began gaining popularity in American restaurants, a visit to Italy revealed its cultivation and culinary potential. The author traveled to Chioggia, the vegetable's origin, where they witnessed radicchio fields and learned about its harvest. A dinner experience of fresh radicchio leaves helped highlight the vegetable's unique bitterness, perfectly complemented by olive oil, lemon, and salt, showcasing its culinary versatility and richness in flavor. This trip underlined the importance of understanding produce from its roots to enhance its use in cooking.
The natural bitterness of the leaves, tamed by the oil and balanced by the citrus, all bound together with salt, was magical.
We stood in the field, looking down at the heads around us, all covered in frost-nipped, dark brown, molding leaves, and worried.
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