Carmine endives

Endives are part of the Asteraceae family. The term ‘endive’ appeared at the beginning of the 14th century. It comes from the Latin ‘intibum’ and the Greek ‘entubion’, meaning ‘wild chicory’. Forcing chicory to obtain endives involves growing already established roots in the dark. It was not until around 1830 that the white endives that we know of today made an appearance.

While there are several varieties of endive there is little difference in taste between them. Created from a natural cross between three chicories: the northern Witloof (which is none other than the famous endive), Verona originating in Italy (commonly called ‘Treviso’) and Chiogga (another chicory from the Venetian region), Carmine brings a colourful touch to your plates! Although cultivated in a similar fashion to endives, Carmines are salad items, intended to be eaten raw.

Carmines are first sown in open fields in spring. In the autumn, producers harvest the roots which are then transplanted to dark cellars to produce leaves, which when mature, become the Carmines as we know them. Carmines are prepared on the farm one by one using a knife before being packed directly by Prince de Bretagne’s market gardeners. Carmines, like other Prince de Bretagne endives, are packed directly on the farm to ensure maximum freshness.