<![CDATA[Seeds from Italy: Latest News]]> http://www.growitalian.com Sat, 25 May 2013 22:49:24 +0000 <![CDATA[How to Read A Franchi Seed Packet]]> http://www.growitalian.com/how-to-read-a-franchi-seed-packet/ Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:51:54 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/how-to-read-a-franchi-seed-packet/ reading-a-franchi-label-j-peg.001.jpg

]]> reading-a-franchi-label-j-peg.001.jpg

]]> <![CDATA[Using Credit Cards or PayPal]]> http://www.growitalian.com/using-credit-cards-or-paypal/ Sat, 05 Jan 2013 10:26:21 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/using-credit-cards-or-paypal/ At checkout, to use a credit card, click "PayLeap" and it will allow you to use any major card.  To use PayPal, click PayPal

]]> At checkout, to use a credit card, click "PayLeap" and it will allow you to use any major card.  To use PayPal, click PayPal

]]> <![CDATA[TV's longest running cooking show, Ciao Italia, uses Franchi seeds!]]> http://www.growitalian.com/tvs-longest-running-cooking-show-ciao-italia-uses-franchi-seeds/ Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:22:42 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/tvs-longest-running-cooking-show-ciao-italia-uses-franchi-seeds/ Mary Ann Esposito, and her husband Guy Esposito, take great pleasure in growing and harvesting Franchi Seeds, just like the rest of us.  The Esposito's vegetables' lives are anything but routine, however!  Once they have been harvested, they are whisked off to the bright lights of the set of Ciao Italia, which, in its 23rd season is "the longest running cooking series in television's history."  On the show, Mary Ann turns vegetables into Italian works of art for the table.  Don't watch the show when hungry.

Mary Ann and Guy were kind enough to photograph some of our seeds growing in their garden, as well as to send us a few behind-the-scenes pictures of the making of the show.  They recently visited the Franchi facility in Bergamo, Italy, and the footage of the visit will appear on air this next season!

Until then, here are some of the great pictures that they sent us.  Thanks, Guy and Mary Ann!

p1040596-3.jpeg

Great looking lettuce!

p1040608-3.jpeg

Trellised and mulched tomatoes this spring!

p1040606-3.jpeg

Beans, peas and transplants.

p1040611-3.jpeg

Lettuce, squash and maybe arugula under the row cover.

pppp1040613-3.jpeg

Filming the show!

p1040632-3.jpeg

Mary Ann Esposito

]]> Mary Ann Esposito, and her husband Guy Esposito, take great pleasure in growing and harvesting Franchi Seeds, just like the rest of us.  The Esposito's vegetables' lives are anything but routine, however!  Once they have been harvested, they are whisked off to the bright lights of the set of Ciao Italia, which, in its 23rd season is "the longest running cooking series in television's history."  On the show, Mary Ann turns vegetables into Italian works of art for the table.  Don't watch the show when hungry.

Mary Ann and Guy were kind enough to photograph some of our seeds growing in their garden, as well as to send us a few behind-the-scenes pictures of the making of the show.  They recently visited the Franchi facility in Bergamo, Italy, and the footage of the visit will appear on air this next season!

Until then, here are some of the great pictures that they sent us.  Thanks, Guy and Mary Ann!

p1040596-3.jpeg

Great looking lettuce!

p1040608-3.jpeg

Trellised and mulched tomatoes this spring!

p1040606-3.jpeg

Beans, peas and transplants.

p1040611-3.jpeg

Lettuce, squash and maybe arugula under the row cover.

pppp1040613-3.jpeg

Filming the show!

p1040632-3.jpeg

Mary Ann Esposito

]]> <![CDATA[Beans]]> http://www.growitalian.com/beans/ Fri, 18 May 2012 14:13:58 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/beans/ Italians love beans and the huge variety of beans we carry is a testament to that. In the markets, you see crates piled high with fancy thin filet beans, long flat beans, and plump shelling beans. We have them dscn1933.jpgall, in green, purple, yellow, and speckles. The selection can be a little overwhelming, so we have summarized the important differences in this article.
The primary categories of beans are those you eat fresh during summer and those you let dry and save for delicious winter dishes. Another way to categorize beans is by the way they are grown: Pole beans, grown on trellises, and bush beans, which require no support.

POLE BEANS
Pole beans are more prolific than bush beans, and many people think they have the best flavor. They take up less space in the garden because they grow vertically. They do require stout trellising, but you will be rewarded with outstanding fresh beans throughout the summer.  

People in this country often call any flat Italian pole beans by the generic name “Roma beans,” but we know that’s not right. We carry four kinds of flat pole beans:  Supermarconi (green pods - both white and black seeded);  Meraviglia di Venezia (yellow pods); and the tasty Northern Italian Smeraldo (green pods).

Round podded varieties are equally prolific. We carry Santa Anna (green, pencil-sized French bean); Triofo Violetto (same deal, only purple); and Bobis a Grano Nero (green, tasty and “grano nero” or black seeded).

Then there are our specialty pole beans:   

Spagna Bianco, which yields enormous white shelling flat beans that are great in soups.  They also can be eaten green in the pod; and Yard Long, the long skinny Asian bean which is increasingly popular in Italy.

Curved beans are special and we carry both Yellow and Green Anellino (Anellino means “Little Ring”). They are sometimes called “shrimp beans”.  We also have a nice curved one from Trento - Stortino di Trento, which yields a variegated green anellino with red/brown markings.  The Washington Post recently had an article about Anellino beans, which you can read here.


BUSH BEANS

Bush beans generally yield only one or two flushes, and thus require more space to achieve comparable yields with pole beans. But they are quicker, and the seed packages are about twice the size of the pole dscn0725-2.jpgbean packs. This allows succession planting.

We offer one flat green bush bean - Marconi - which is very crisp and tasty.

We have many French type bush beans, including La Victoire and Boby Bianco (both green); Rocquencourt and Brittle Wax (both yellow);  Purple King; Slenderette (also available in certified organic); and Vanguard, a green bean somewhat larger than the pencil-thin French beans.  

We have one Anellino type bush bean - Anellino di Trento aka/Anellino Marmorizzato, (curved and green with red/brown mottling).

And finally there is Merveille di Piemonte, a slightly curved, long yellow bean with violet streaks. This is a very vigorous northern variety.

BORLOTTO BEANS

Often called cranberry beans in this country, these are generally red-streaked shelling beans used in all kinds of dishes.

The bush types include Lingua di Fuoco Nano (Tongue of Fire, 65 days, also available certified organic);  Stregonta (vigorous, comes in a big 250 gram box, 75 days);  and Borlotto di Vigevano (70 days).

Pole type Borlottos include Lamon which is quite vigorous and prolific; and the pole version of Lingua di Fuoco (Rampicante).

OTHER BEANS

Fresh Cannellinos are hard to beat. We have them in packets, regular and organic, or in bulk.

The Italian Black-Eyed Pea is called Dolico - dall’occhie. These little shell beans are great in winter dishes.

And finally, Signora della Campagna, a fresh eating pole bean with plump, red and green pods.  The Signora has excellent taste and is a vigorous and productive bean.

]]> Italians love beans and the huge variety of beans we carry is a testament to that. In the markets, you see crates piled high with fancy thin filet beans, long flat beans, and plump shelling beans. We have them dscn1933.jpgall, in green, purple, yellow, and speckles. The selection can be a little overwhelming, so we have summarized the important differences in this article.
The primary categories of beans are those you eat fresh during summer and those you let dry and save for delicious winter dishes. Another way to categorize beans is by the way they are grown: Pole beans, grown on trellises, and bush beans, which require no support.

POLE BEANS
Pole beans are more prolific than bush beans, and many people think they have the best flavor. They take up less space in the garden because they grow vertically. They do require stout trellising, but you will be rewarded with outstanding fresh beans throughout the summer.  

People in this country often call any flat Italian pole beans by the generic name “Roma beans,” but we know that’s not right. We carry four kinds of flat pole beans:  Supermarconi (green pods - both white and black seeded);  Meraviglia di Venezia (yellow pods); and the tasty Northern Italian Smeraldo (green pods).

Round podded varieties are equally prolific. We carry Santa Anna (green, pencil-sized French bean); Triofo Violetto (same deal, only purple); and Bobis a Grano Nero (green, tasty and “grano nero” or black seeded).

Then there are our specialty pole beans:   

Spagna Bianco, which yields enormous white shelling flat beans that are great in soups.  They also can be eaten green in the pod; and Yard Long, the long skinny Asian bean which is increasingly popular in Italy.

Curved beans are special and we carry both Yellow and Green Anellino (Anellino means “Little Ring”). They are sometimes called “shrimp beans”.  We also have a nice curved one from Trento - Stortino di Trento, which yields a variegated green anellino with red/brown markings.  The Washington Post recently had an article about Anellino beans, which you can read here.


BUSH BEANS

Bush beans generally yield only one or two flushes, and thus require more space to achieve comparable yields with pole beans. But they are quicker, and the seed packages are about twice the size of the pole dscn0725-2.jpgbean packs. This allows succession planting.

We offer one flat green bush bean - Marconi - which is very crisp and tasty.

We have many French type bush beans, including La Victoire and Boby Bianco (both green); Rocquencourt and Brittle Wax (both yellow);  Purple King; Slenderette (also available in certified organic); and Vanguard, a green bean somewhat larger than the pencil-thin French beans.  

We have one Anellino type bush bean - Anellino di Trento aka/Anellino Marmorizzato, (curved and green with red/brown mottling).

And finally there is Merveille di Piemonte, a slightly curved, long yellow bean with violet streaks. This is a very vigorous northern variety.

BORLOTTO BEANS

Often called cranberry beans in this country, these are generally red-streaked shelling beans used in all kinds of dishes.

The bush types include Lingua di Fuoco Nano (Tongue of Fire, 65 days, also available certified organic);  Stregonta (vigorous, comes in a big 250 gram box, 75 days);  and Borlotto di Vigevano (70 days).

Pole type Borlottos include Lamon which is quite vigorous and prolific; and the pole version of Lingua di Fuoco (Rampicante).

OTHER BEANS

Fresh Cannellinos are hard to beat. We have them in packets, regular and organic, or in bulk.

The Italian Black-Eyed Pea is called Dolico - dall’occhie. These little shell beans are great in winter dishes.

And finally, Signora della Campagna, a fresh eating pole bean with plump, red and green pods.  The Signora has excellent taste and is a vigorous and productive bean.

]]> <![CDATA[Growing Basil to make your own Pesto]]> http://www.growitalian.com/growing-basil-to-make-your-own-pesto/ Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:13:22 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/growing-basil-to-make-your-own-pesto/ Saveur Magazine has some excellent tips for growing Basil to ensure you have the freshest, most flavorful pesto possible!  They recommend our Basilico Genovese or Piccolo Verde varieties, "both of which produce fragrant, fantastic basil for pesto."  

Make sure you don't plant your basil until the nights have grown warmer, about 60 degrees.  Basil needs rich soil, so mix in some compost or manure.  Sprinkle Basil seeds evenly across the growing surface, and then cover with an eighth of an inch of soil.  Keep the soil moist, and maintain a warm environment, using a plastic garden tunnel if necessary.

"When a plant has sprouted four to eight concave leaves, each about the size of the head of a teaspoon, pull out the plant, roots and all, but use only the leaves for making pesto. Harvest cyclically, keeping a few patches growing at a time."

To read the rest of the story, including some more growing and harvesting tips, click here.

Be sure to try Saveur's excellent Pesto Genovese recipes once you've grown your own Basil!

]]> Saveur Magazine has some excellent tips for growing Basil to ensure you have the freshest, most flavorful pesto possible!  They recommend our Basilico Genovese or Piccolo Verde varieties, "both of which produce fragrant, fantastic basil for pesto."  

Make sure you don't plant your basil until the nights have grown warmer, about 60 degrees.  Basil needs rich soil, so mix in some compost or manure.  Sprinkle Basil seeds evenly across the growing surface, and then cover with an eighth of an inch of soil.  Keep the soil moist, and maintain a warm environment, using a plastic garden tunnel if necessary.

"When a plant has sprouted four to eight concave leaves, each about the size of the head of a teaspoon, pull out the plant, roots and all, but use only the leaves for making pesto. Harvest cyclically, keeping a few patches growing at a time."

To read the rest of the story, including some more growing and harvesting tips, click here.

Be sure to try Saveur's excellent Pesto Genovese recipes once you've grown your own Basil!

]]> <![CDATA[Seeds from Italy Radicchio and Endives successful in trials]]> http://www.growitalian.com/seeds-from-italy-radicchio-and-endives-successful-in-trials/ Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:49:39 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/seeds-from-italy-radicchio-and-endives-successful-in-trials/ A recent vegetable variety trial in Washington State has heaped some lavish praise on several Seeds from Italy varieties. The joint project by the Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend Food Coop, Washington State University, and Port Townsend Farmers Market said its "objective was
to
assist
growers
to expand
their season and diversify their winter vegetable production on the Olympic Peninsula,
supporting increased availability
of
local
foods."

Endives

Seeds from Italy's Cuor d' Oro endives performed particularly well, being labeled "The
 most flavorful endive in the 
trial, [and&91;
 though it was only
 moderately 
cold-hardy 
and
 moderately vigorous, it 
was perfectly
harvestable until 
mid‐November."

Radicchio

The trial noted that Radicchio is "one of the highest value cold-hardy leafy vegetable crops."  Seeds from Italy's Radicchio di' Chioggia was the only true round Radicchio in the trial that "remained somewhat harvestable after the coldest weather had toasted its older, outer leaves."

The reaction to the rest of the Seeds from Italy Radicchio seeds in the trial speaks for itself:

"The 
surprise 
success 
in 
beautiful 
red 
radicchio 
types 
in 
this 
trial 
were 
two 
selections 
that 
are 
probably 
of 
similar 
origin; 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona’ 
and 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona 
sel 
Arca’ 
(both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy). 
These 
varieties 
make 
a 
gorgeous 
tight 
round 
head
 that 
is 
open 
on 
top 
like 
a 
rose
bud, 
with 
the 
outer 
leaves 
looking 
like 
rose
 petals! 
Overall, 
we
 lost
 some
 plants 
in 
both 
of 
these 
varieties 
to 
the 
cold, 
BUT 
the
 plants 
that 
remained 
were 
very 
cold
 hardy 
indeed,
 exhibiting 
little 
frost 
damage 
and 
being 
harvestable 
as 
soon 
as 
the 
cold 
subsided!
 We 
grew 
one 
red 
leaved 
grumolo, 
‘Grumolo 
Rossa’ 
(Seeds 
from 
Italy) 
that
 had 
an 
upright, 
open 
habit 
and 
has 
had 
excellent 
spring 
growth 
of 
harvestable 
red 
leaves. 
In 
the 
green 
leaved
 types 
we 
had 
a 
very 
cold 
hardy, 
open
 heading 
type 
with 
speckles 
of 
red 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Castlefranco’ 
(Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
that 
was 
a 
standout 
and 
had 
big
 harvestable
 open 
heads 
that 
looked 
like 
a 
green 
leaf 
lettuce. 
Lastly 
we 
had 
two 
green 
leafed 
varieties 
that 
are 
of 
the 
“sugar
loaf” 
type
 of 
chicories. 
The 
sugar
loaf 
type 
produces 
a 
very 
mild 
tasting 
radicchio 
that 
is
 upright
 and 
more 
like 
a 
small 
Romaine
 lettuce 
head. 
The 
two 
varieties, 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Luisa 
Tardiva’ 
and 
‘Bianca
 a 
Bergamo 
sel 
Franchi’
 (both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
had 
moderate 
frost 
damage 
with 
toasted
 outer 
wrapper 
leaves, 
but 
once 
these 
outer 
leaves 
are 
stripped 
off 
there 
is 
revealed 
an 
excellent 
sugarloaf 
type 
that 
could
 readily 
be 
sold 
as 
one 
might 
sell 
Romaine 
lettuce
 hearts. 
Everyone 
who 
saw 
these 
jewels 
fell 
in 
love!"

 

Thanks to the Organic Seed Alliance for including Seeds from Italy seeds in their trial. To see the whole results of the trial, which included Arugula, Beets, Swiss Chard, Cilantro, Collards, Endive and Escarole, European Kale, Radicchio, and Spinach, go to the Organic Seed Alliance website and download the PDF of the trial results.

]]> A recent vegetable variety trial in Washington State has heaped some lavish praise on several Seeds from Italy varieties. The joint project by the Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend Food Coop, Washington State University, and Port Townsend Farmers Market said its "objective was
to
assist
growers
to expand
their season and diversify their winter vegetable production on the Olympic Peninsula,
supporting increased availability
of
local
foods."

Endives

Seeds from Italy's Cuor d' Oro endives performed particularly well, being labeled "The
 most flavorful endive in the 
trial, [and&91;
 though it was only
 moderately 
cold-hardy 
and
 moderately vigorous, it 
was perfectly
harvestable until 
mid‐November."

Radicchio

The trial noted that Radicchio is "one of the highest value cold-hardy leafy vegetable crops."  Seeds from Italy's Radicchio di' Chioggia was the only true round Radicchio in the trial that "remained somewhat harvestable after the coldest weather had toasted its older, outer leaves."

The reaction to the rest of the Seeds from Italy Radicchio seeds in the trial speaks for itself:

"The 
surprise 
success 
in 
beautiful 
red 
radicchio 
types 
in 
this 
trial 
were 
two 
selections 
that 
are 
probably 
of 
similar 
origin; 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona’ 
and 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona 
sel 
Arca’ 
(both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy). 
These 
varieties 
make 
a 
gorgeous 
tight 
round 
head
 that 
is 
open 
on 
top 
like 
a 
rose
bud, 
with 
the 
outer 
leaves 
looking 
like 
rose
 petals! 
Overall, 
we
 lost
 some
 plants 
in 
both 
of 
these 
varieties 
to 
the 
cold, 
BUT 
the
 plants 
that 
remained 
were 
very 
cold
 hardy 
indeed,
 exhibiting 
little 
frost 
damage 
and 
being 
harvestable 
as 
soon 
as 
the 
cold 
subsided!
 We 
grew 
one 
red 
leaved 
grumolo, 
‘Grumolo 
Rossa’ 
(Seeds 
from 
Italy) 
that
 had 
an 
upright, 
open 
habit 
and 
has 
had 
excellent 
spring 
growth 
of 
harvestable 
red 
leaves. 
In 
the 
green 
leaved
 types 
we 
had 
a 
very 
cold 
hardy, 
open
 heading 
type 
with 
speckles 
of 
red 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Castlefranco’ 
(Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
that 
was 
a 
standout 
and 
had 
big
 harvestable
 open 
heads 
that 
looked 
like 
a 
green 
leaf 
lettuce. 
Lastly 
we 
had 
two 
green 
leafed 
varieties 
that 
are 
of 
the 
“sugar
loaf” 
type
 of 
chicories. 
The 
sugar
loaf 
type 
produces 
a 
very 
mild 
tasting 
radicchio 
that 
is
 upright
 and 
more 
like 
a 
small 
Romaine
 lettuce 
head. 
The 
two 
varieties, 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Luisa 
Tardiva’ 
and 
‘Bianca
 a 
Bergamo 
sel 
Franchi’
 (both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
had 
moderate 
frost 
damage 
with 
toasted
 outer 
wrapper 
leaves, 
but 
once 
these 
outer 
leaves 
are 
stripped 
off 
there 
is 
revealed 
an 
excellent 
sugarloaf 
type 
that 
could
 readily 
be 
sold 
as 
one 
might 
sell 
Romaine 
lettuce
 hearts. 
Everyone 
who 
saw 
these 
jewels 
fell 
in 
love!"

 

Thanks to the Organic Seed Alliance for including Seeds from Italy seeds in their trial. To see the whole results of the trial, which included Arugula, Beets, Swiss Chard, Cilantro, Collards, Endive and Escarole, European Kale, Radicchio, and Spinach, go to the Organic Seed Alliance website and download the PDF of the trial results.

]]> <![CDATA[About the photo in our header]]> http://www.growitalian.com/the-beautiful-photo-in-our-header/ Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:22:25 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/the-beautiful-photo-in-our-header/ Everyone wants to know about the photo in our header. It is near Montepulciano, a medieval hill town in Tuscany. The photo was taken by John Hulsey, an artist who teaches workshops at beautiful locations in Europe and the U.S. You can learn more at his website, The Artist's Road.

view-from-montepulciano-600px.jpg

]]> Everyone wants to know about the photo in our header. It is near Montepulciano, a medieval hill town in Tuscany. The photo was taken by John Hulsey, an artist who teaches workshops at beautiful locations in Europe and the U.S. You can learn more at his website, The Artist's Road.

view-from-montepulciano-600px.jpg

]]> <![CDATA[Under New Management]]> http://www.growitalian.com/under-new-management/ Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:19:50 +0000 http://www.growitalian.com/under-new-management/ Seeds from Italy has changed owners and updated its website. Everything else remains the same: same fast service, same guarantee, same great Italian seeds. For information on the new owners, see About Us. If you find glitches on this new website, please let us know! Use the Contact Us link to send us an email. 

]]> Seeds from Italy has changed owners and updated its website. Everything else remains the same: same fast service, same guarantee, same great Italian seeds. For information on the new owners, see About Us. If you find glitches on this new website, please let us know! Use the Contact Us link to send us an email. 

]]>