UNITED STATES - Pink lettuce (or rather lettuce look-a-like), also known as Radicchio del Veneto or La Rosa del Veneto, is a pink chicory that is grown primarily in Veneto, Italy. The gorgeous, leafy veggie is cultivated in California and Pennsylvania, according to Eater. This particular variation of chicory is the result of a late winter or early spring crop with limited sunlight and a fall start of harvest. Wow! If that doesn’t sound like botanical sorcery, I don’t know what does!
“It’s pretty mild and has a subtle bitterness to it,” said Chris Field, a farmer at Campo Rosso Farm in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania to news source Moneyish.
The slightly bitter, slightly sweet radicchio is available for purchase at Whole Foods, Eataly, some farmer's markets, and has made appearances at a half dozen New York City Restaurants. Whole Foods representatives told Eater that the chicory should be in stock through winter and into spring.
“The cold, winter months bring little color to the kitchen, so these pink and ruby leaves are a joy when they arrive,” Jess Shadbolt, Co-Head Chef at King said to Moneyish. “The delicate bitterness of the leaves work well with the richness of the ricotta and the fragrance of the marjoram. Their robust leaves also hold up well when tossed in an anchovy and red wine vinaigrette.”
This lettuce has grown in popularity in recent years because it feeds into the millennial Instagram aesthetic obsession. Like watermelon radishes, dragon fruit, and Pink Pearl apples; this blushing herbage is irresistible. With its rosy vibes and folds like scalloped silk, who could abstain from La Rosa del Veneto? And, consumers are willing to pay $5 a head or $10 a pound, according to Moneyish, for this bit of gorgeous goodness.
To stay up to date on all the lovely trending veggies, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
