Radicchielle

Dandelions, though never cultivated, were brought to market in England in the 19th century, just as weeds are brought to market round the Mediterranean today. ‘When lettuce and endive are scarce, the dandelion might be dug up from the roadside and pasture in winter and forced in pots like succory.’ (Loudon, Encyclopaedia of Gardening) Succory is a portmanteau name which may apply to Cichorium intybus and to other plants (Pieris spp) with a certain bitterness; these were formerly cultivated and ‘forced’ for salads (‘forced’ means blanched by earthing up). They are among the many plants with dandelion-like leaves, all sheltering under the radicchiella umbrella, all edible.