Comments on: Cicoria alla Romana – Roman-Style Sauteed Chicory/Dandelion Leaves

By: Imee

Imee — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 03:25:10 +0000

Hi, I just want to ask where can I buy dandelion leaves? Thanx!

By: Marketman

Marketman — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 20:53:43 +0000

John, I don’t think there is a monopoly of specialty greens or lettuces in Metro-Manila. Quite the contrary, there are several small farmers who are now supplying such items to restaurants and weekend markets. Perhaps for things like potatoes and carrots and cabbages, that is more of a wholesale/bulk situation.

Besides the challenges associated with farming (weather, terrain, temperature, staffing, etc.) I think one of the largest challenges is logistics… having the right produce when the market needs it, delivering it fresh to a city that is clogged with traffic, and payment options that can stretch the finances of a small producer.

So while I always hope people would pursue their dreams, they should really do extensive homework about the situations that they are considering, so that expectations and reality are closer together.

You may wish to visit any of several weekend markets and bazaars that feature small farmers to see what they have on offer, understand how large their farms are, and what prices might be like.

By: john

john — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 08:19:26 +0000

Good Afternoon Sir/ Maam:
I have read your article about lettuce market price there in Manila. I’vew been wanting ever since to be able to deliver quality lettuce directly to consumers in Manila. They say the market is monopolized or something like a mafia style, I dont know about that, i have no knowledge or proof about. Nevertheless, I really want to pursue my plan to do the business, Im a farmer myself but at present working in a Govt agency as a J.O employee. Its my dream to help fellow farmers and bring closer the products to consumers in a more friendly and market competitive atmosphere both beneficial to farmers and consumers.
I hope we can help each other about this. Thank you.

By: My

My — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 07:19:57 +0000

@kurzhaar I am looking for wild dandelions. Please help. Thank you.

By: kurzhaar

kurzhaar — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 23:14:07 +0000

What’s sold as “Italian dandelion” (actually a domestic chicory variety) is not the same as the wild dandelion (in a different though related genus, Taraxacum sp.). They look superficially similar and are cooked and eaten in much the same way.

My first harvests in the spring are always dandelion leaves and hop shoots. My garden dandelions are the genuinely wild plant–dandelions are rather long-lived perennials and I have a few “pet dandelions” that I leave alone in the garden for the delicious greens they offer in the spring. Usually I saute them with olive oil and garlic and a pinch of crushed hot chile, and toss the lot with pasta.

Blanching the leaves by putting a box or bucket or suchlike over the plant for a few days will decrease the bitterness, even in hot weather.

@footloose: dandelion wine isn’t bitter at all, it is typically on the sweet side (at least those I have tried) and might have a citrusy note if fermentation included lemon or other citrus. Digestivs such as amaros (amari), which I adore, often have truly bitter ingredients such as gentian or wormwood or quinine. Italians used to use wines with quinine (chinotto) added as an actual medicinal concoction–especially when malaria was a serious problem in the Po valley and in the Veneto.

By: Kouta

Kouta — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 05:09:15 +0000

Greens usually turn more bitter when the weather gets hot so the greens should be less bitter when it gets cooler, pretty soon???

By: Footloose

Footloose — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 21:32:43 +0000

A dish of bitter greens is good for cutting successive days of rich meals such as during the holidays, unless the bitter herbs itself is required to be part of the meal as in certain Jewish holidays. In many traditional European communities, the queasy satiety caused by eating rich dishes is usually calmed with a gulp of bitter digestif. This is probably the role that dandelion wine plays in the domain of drinks.