Chicories encompass a diverse group of leafy vegetables characterized by their bitter taste and crisp texture. This exclusive club includes Radicchio, Belgian Endive, Frisée and Escarole. Delectable raw or cooked—each variety offers their own unique taste and texture that elevate both salads and cooked dishes.  Roasted chicory is often used as a coffee substitute, particularly in Louisiana. Rich in antioxidants and nutrients like vitamins A and K, chicories are the perfect choice for healthy winter meals. 

While fresh chicories have only started gaining popularity in North America, they have been a beloved part of Western European cuisine for centuries. Ancient Roman texts mention their health effects, particularly as a blood cleanser. Modern cultivation of these bitter greens dates back to the 15th century in Italy.  Many varieties of Radicchio are named after the Italian region in which they were developed 

Here’s a lowdown of who’s who in the chicory family: 

Radicchio: Chioggia and Treviso are known for their vibrant dark crimson leaves. Their bitter flavor mellows, and actually becomes sweet when grilled or roasted. Castelfranco has pale tender green leaves with specks and splotches of burgundy—truly beautiful and very mild tasting! Bianco has a similar round shape as Chioggia but is green in color, dense in texture, with a milder flavor. Sugarloaf has oblong green leaves and is very crunchy with hardly any bitterness, the name says it all. 

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. Individual leaves stuffed with goat cheese or tapenade make elegant but simple hors d’oeuvres. Available year-round! 

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 effect 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. Mildy bitter without being too sharp. Can hold up and becomes sweet when stewed; can be added to vegetable-based soups, think minestrone! 

In the winter months, chicories are a delicious alternative to lettuces. We like them in the summertime, too! There are many other varieties that are beloved in Europe such as Alouette, Tansy, and Tardivo. This hearty category has a long shelf life and comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and flavors to liven up your menus and displays.  Remember: “Bitter is Better for your Blood!” 

Weather Watch

Several days of rain forecasted in Northern California may have a substantial impact of citrus growing in the Fresno, Reedley and Orland areas. Satsumas, in particular, do not like wet weather!  

Humid, moist conditions combined with relatively warm temperatures are putting broccoli under fungal pressure in the desert regions of southern California and Arizona. Organic growers are watching carefully for ‘pin rot’, as they cannot apply common chemical fungicides.  

Further south in Mexico, rainy weather is also impacting supply of imported berries, tomatoes and bell peppers. Prices will follow up accordingly when supply is limited. 

New & Exciting! 

Bacon Avocado (right): California-grown greenskin variety with a buttery, creamy texture that is similar to Hass but with less oil content. Contrary to its name, this avocado does not taste like bacon and is 100% vegan-friendly! The crop is relatively short–lasting only a month or so; do not wait to get them going.  

Fun Fact: The Bacon avocado is named after its cultivator, James Bacon in 1954 from Buena Park, CA. 

Escarole: Part of the chicory family, this sturdy leafy green resembles a head of lettuce with its short wavy leaves. Flavor wise, it’s pleasantly bitter without being too sharp. Great for wintery soups such as Italian Wedding Soup!  

Frisée: Leafy green with frilly leaves and a subtly bitter flavor. Wonderful for adding volume and oomph to salads! 

Kiwano Melon (left): AKA Horned Melon. On the outside, this exotic fruit is orange with horn-like spikes. Inside, it contains bright green flesh with edible seeds. The flavor is a cross between cucumber, zucchini and kiwifruit. Enjoy fresh or add to smoothies, juices, cocktails or desserts! Kids will love the crazy shape and bright colors.  

Mixed Heirloom Tomato: Boost your winter tomato program with our mixed medley pack from Ram’s Farm, an exclusive VV grower. Ram’s is known for their high quality and consistent flavor. Varieties in the pack may include Pink Brandywine, Black from Tula, Kellogg’s Breakfast and Ananas. Some varieties may arrive green, but color up beautifully. 

Ruby Grapefruit: Sweet and juicy with a hint of tang and pink flesh from renown citrus grower, B&J Ranch.  Did you know all fruit from B&J is 100% unwaxed? Waxing is a common practice to preserve and extend shelf life for produce, only non-synthetic and edible wax is permitted on organic fruit. 

Wild Mushrooms: Black Trumpet, Yellow Chanterelle and Hedgehog all available for pre-order. Talk to your account manager for scheduling. 

Promotable 

Apple: We’re seeing sharp pricing and plentiful supply on Fuji, Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp and Pink Lady. Volume deals available to support your in-store apple promotions! 

Delicata Squash: Strong supply on this versatile winter squash. Roasted, stuffed or added to soups—this squash has a place at every table! 

Eggnog (right): ‘Tis the season for eggnog! Alexandre Family Farms Homegrown Eggnog features its signature A2/A2 milk and Alexandre Kids eggs. Preorder by December 18th to receive in time for the holidays! 

Green Kiwi: Steady volume, promotable prices on California-grown fruit. Cut a few for sampling and add color to your displays! 

Maple Candy: Made with organic maple syrup and nothing else, this all-natural treat makes for a great stocking stuffer! Each 1.5-ounce box comes with six candies in an assortment of decorative shapes. Learn more about Maple Valley Co-op (a farmer owned co-op) and their sustainable practices! 

Meyer Lemon: In great supply! Sweeter with less tang than regular Eureka lemons. The rind is more aromatic with notes of bergamot and spice. 

Orlando Tangelo (below): Wonderful, sweet-tart flavor; super juicy. A cross between a Duncan grapefruit and Darcy Mandarin. Easy to peel with very few seeds. 

Limited 

Berry: Raspberry and Blackberry are limited out of Mexico due to rainy weather and related quality issues. 

Bulk Persian Cucumber 

Cantaloupe 

Celery: Limited and prices are up. 

Green Bean: Availability is limited; prices are going up. 

Jicama: still gapping with no expected return date. 

Pea: Limited supply due to low production expected for a couple more weeks. 

Red/Orange/Yellow Bell Pepper 

One and Two-Layer Tomato 

Zucchini 

Done for the Season 

Fig 

Chestnut 

California-grown Hass avocado 

Produce Resources 

Apple Variety Guide 

Citrus Variety Guide 

Citrus Shelf Talkers 

Pear Variety Guide  

Winter Squash Variety Guide 

Merchandising Corner 

Herb Merchandising Tips  

Herbs are particularly popular at this time of year when meals are centered around warm savory dishes.  As wonderful as they are, herbs are delicate and require a high level of maintenance. For most produce departments, herbs are one of the most frequently tossed out items due to shrinkage. So, the big question is bunched or packaged? The answer depends on how quickly herbs moves in your produce department. 

Clamshell packed herbs generally have a longer shelf life than “naked” bunched herbs. The plastic clamshell offers protection from the harsh airflow in the cold case and helps to keep them from drying out when sitting on a dry table. This is particularly helpful for finnicky herbs like Basil. The clamshell also reduces damage caused by excess handling, climate and storage, making them lower maintenance than bunched herbs—a good option if you’re tight on labor. Although clamshell herbs have a longer shelf life, they still need to be moved quickly and checked daily for product breakdown. 

Bunched herbs are visually more attractive and are environmentally friendly- no excess packaging! Bunched herbs can be stored in containers with a small amount of water to keep them fresh. They can be kept like this for a day or two but ideally need to be moved out quickly before they start to look tired. If you are not selling through certain herbs fast enough, small clamshells for those specific varieties might be the better option for your store. 

Don’t forget to educate your staff and shoppers on best practices for storing herbs once they get home. Optimal storage can prolong herb life and reduce waste! 

• At home bunched herbs can be stored in a container (like a mason jar) on the countertop with a small amount of water, like a flower bouquet. 
• Clamshell herbs can be left out of refrigeration for a few days also. 
• If herbs will not be used in a day or two, refrigerate in an airtight container or even a paper bag.