Chicories are a wonderfully quirky family of leafy vegetables—crisp, bold, and proudly bitter in the best way. And lucky for us, it’s the best time of year to enjoy them! Cooler weather mellows bitterness and concentrates natural sweetness, giving them a more balanced, complex taste. All chicories become sweeter when broiled or baked which explains why we’re seeing more  and more chefs use Chioggia radicchio in non-traditional dishes like custom pizza! Packed with antioxidants and vitamins A and K, chicories make winter eating feel both hearty and healthy.  

Fun Fact: All chicories are related to the common dandelion.  

Though North America is only recently catching on, Europeans have adored chicories for centuries. Ancient Romans praised them for their health benefits—especially for “cleansing the blood.” By the 15th century, Italian growers were cultivating the bitter greens we know today, with many radicchio varieties still named after the regions where they were developed.  

There are several common types of edible chicories. This group includes Radicchio, Belgian Endive, Frisée, and Escarole, each bringing its own personality to the plate.  

Radicchio: Chioggia and Treviso are known for their vibrant dark crimson leaves. Castelfranco has pale tender green leaves with specks and splotches of burgundy— exquisitely  beautiful and very mild tasting! Bianco has a round tight head, like Chioggia but is green in color, dense in texture, with a milder flavor. Rosa has gorgeous pink leaves, while Sugarloaf is oblong and very crunchy with hardly any bitterness. 

Belgian Endive: Pale green, almost white, conical leaves; the lighter the color, the milder the taste. The dark red variety tends to be slightly more bitter than the white. Available year-round! Suggest this healthy and wonderful hors d’oeuvre: Stuff leaves (each about 5 inches long) with your favorite soft cheese or dip! Quite a conversation starter! 

Curly Endive: Bushy head of green lettuce with super frilly edges. Takes bitterness up a notch but balances it with gentle sweetness. Adds a striking lacey appearance to any salad blend. Frisée is a sub-variety of curly endive.  

Escarole: Looks like lettuce, but the leaves are thicker, white at the ribs and dark green toward the softly frilled edges. Slightly bitter without being too sharp. Can hold up to cooking, and sweet when stewed; think Minestrone!  

In the winter months, chicories are a delicious alternative to lettuce. We like them in the summertime, too! There are many other varieties that are beloved in Europe such as Alouette, Puntarelle, Tansy, and Tardivo. This hearty category has a super long shelf life compared to other greens and comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and flavors to liven up your menus and displays.   

New & Exciting! 

Arkansas Black Apple (left): Striking heirloom variety known for its deep, almost black skin, crisp texture, and rich, spicy-sweet flavor that gets better and better as it ripens. 

Ataulfo Mango: AKA Honey Mango. This variety has a creamy texture and is less fibrous than most mangoes, while still delivering a classic mango flavor. Ecuador-grown. 

Bacon Avocado: California-grown greenskin season has officially started! These large round avocados have a buttery, creamy texture, less oil content than Hass, and stay green when ripe. Contrary to its name, this avocado does not taste like bacon and is 100% vegan-friendly! 

Citrus 

• Clementine Tangerine: Small, sweet, and easy-to-peel. The Fina variety has superb flavor and very high brix (which indicates sweetness!) Perfect for snacking! 
• Fairchild Tangerine (right): One of the sweetest varieties of tangerines. Rich and sweet—perfect for juicing or eating fresh. Cross between a Clementine tangerine and an Orlando tangelo. Like all citrus, Fairchilds get sweeter as the season goes on. Watch out for the seeds; the flavor is worth it though!     
• Orlando Tangelo: Coming soon! Wonderful, sweet-tart flavor; super juicy. A cross between a Duncan grapefruit and Darcy Mandarin. Easy to peel with very few seeds.  Available in Large, Jumbo and Mammoth, Colossal, Super Colossal sizes. Ours are exclusively from B&J Ranch, in the Coachella Valley. 

Cone Cabbage: Tender, cone-shaped variety with soft, layered leaves and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Excellent for salads, slaws, stir-fries, and quick sautés. A staff favorite! 

Purple Kohlrabi: Striking deep violet skin and pale, tender flesh, with a slightly sweet, peppery flavor similar to a broccoli stem or mild turnip.  Enjoy raw sliced into salads or adding to soups and stir-fries. 

Rosa Radicchio (left): Stunning pink chicory with soft, rose-colored leaves and a mild, pleasantly bitter flavor that adds both elegance and bright contrast to any dish. 

Specialty Roots: Check out some new varieties on the root scene. Rutabaga has buttery yellow flesh that delivers a mildly sweet, earthy flavor. Its pretty purple-gold skin brightens any root display. Scarlet Queen Turnip has vibrant red skin and sweet, crisp flavor that makes it excellent for both raw and cooked preparations.  Korean White Daikon are known for its mild flavor and versatility in soups, pickles, and ferments. Purple Top Turnips (right) are slightly spicy and peppery when raw. When cooked, their flavor becomes milder and sweeter, with earthy and nutty notes. 

Promotable 

Bartlett Pears: Known for their sweet, juicy flavor that is both aromatic and refreshing. Red Bartletts offer the same great taste with striking crimson skin. Bring in both colors for a festive holiday display!

Brussels Sprouts: We’re still seeing great pricing and steady supply on California-grown sprouts in two case sizes: 10-pound and 25-pound. Volume deals available!   

Cabbage: Green and Napa are readily available from Rundle Family Farms with promotable pricing! Supply is expected to be steady for several weeks. 

Cranberry: Readily available in 8-ounce and 12-ounce retail bags at promotable prices! Stock up for Thanksgiving and beyond! The sweet-tart flavor is a perfect complement in pies, muffins, chutney, compotes, relish and more. 

Eggnog: Delicious, creamy eggnog from Alexandre Family Farms and Straus Family Creamery is here now. Only available through December!     

Fuyu Persimmon: Delicate sweet flavor with cinnamon undertones. Enjoy while firm and crunchy! Plenty of supply on 1-layer, volume-fill fruit and 125-pound bins. 

Holiday Herbs: No Thanksgiving is complete without aromatic herbs! Herbs are available in 6-count bunches, ¾ oz. clamshells and 12 and 24-count clamshell shipper boxes (which include an attractive retail display box).

• Holiday Mix (Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Thyme)   
• Poultry Mix (Rosemary, Sage, Thyme)  
• Prime Rib Mix (Rosemary, Italian Parsley, Thyme) 

Kiwi: Green, Gold, and Red are readily available from Wild River; supply is expected to be steady. Red Kiwi has golden flesh with a vibrant red starburst pattern and a unique berry-sweet flavor.  Ask your Account Manager about bulk kiwi bins!   

Satsuma Tangerine: Juicy, sweet, seedless and easy to peel. It’s no wonder Satsuma is one of the most popular tangerine varieties!   

Sugar Pie Pumpkin: Their sweet flavor, small size, and easy prep make them an irresistible pick for shoppers during the fall season.  Plentiful supply makes this a great promotion item. 

Specialty Hard Squash: Don’t be afraid to offer your customers something unexpected for their hard squash needs. We have exciting varieties like the striking blue-skinned Blue Hubbard, delicious White Acorn AKA Mashed Potato Squash and uniquely shaped Turban squash. Koginut has sweet and nutty flavor, and velvety texture that becomes exceptionally creamy when roasted. Let’s not forget Black Futsu–-this charcoal-skinned heirloom is prized for its rich, sweet flavor and silky texture. Ask your Account Manager for recommendations to spruce up your specialty squash display. Learn more about hard squash using our Winter Squash Variety Guide. 

Limited 

Bell Pepper: Red and Green supply are both very tight. 

Burdock Root: Temporary gap in supply 

Cherry Tomato 

Green Bean: Extremely limited. Very little supply coming locally or from Mexico. 

Lettuce 

Raspberry: Very limited supply from Mexico; quality is strong. 

Roma Tomato: Prices are skyrocketing. 

Strawberry: Local supply is very limited. Rain forecasted next week may create some gaps.  Mexican-grown fruit is not expected to start until January. 

Yellow Squash: Limited; prices are high. 

Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule

Please note our holiday schedule for next week and plan ahead! Our sales office is closed on Thanksgiving day.

Monday, Nov 24th: Business as usual.

Tuesday, Nov 25th: Business as usual.

Wednesday, Nov 26th: Orders due by 3pm for Friday delivery.

Thursday, Nov 27th: Closed. No orders or deliveries.

Friday, Nov 28th: Business as usual.