Belgian Endive/Witloof, ‘Macun’

(C. intybus) To grow Belgian endive is to witness one of the most marvelous transformations in the world of vegetables. The plant starts in the field as a mildly charmless, bitter-tasting, gangly, oversized dandelion looking thing. Its enormous rough taproot is then dug, the greens trimmed back, and then replanted, this time in complete darkness, where over the course of about a month a second refined, elegantly curving, dense golden leaf growth (the “chicon”) emerges from the stump. They are magical creatures. We’ve grown them in closets, under staircases, in crawlspaces, corners of barns, even our seed room at the office. In the winter months, being able to cut a couple and bring them into the kitchen makes us feel rich. Macun is a good variety, bred for production in Europe, that has consistently produced the best, densest chicons for us in our not-so-professional forcing situations. Sweet, lightly bitter, golden little leafy boats to grill or fill with all sorts of deliciousness. Grow some, ok?
25-30 days after digging and forcing. UO

Packet: 200 seeds