The Quebec Endive Story

Endive, a popular vegetable in France and Belgium, is still finding its way into Quebecers’ hearts. It’s gradually gaining converts, particularly in winter, as it is available year-round. Endives J.M.S., Canada’s biggest endive company, located at St. Clet in south-western Quebec, produces it in two colours – the traditional white with pale yellow edges, and a maroon and white version that’s a result of a marriage between endive and radicchio.

 Philippe Schryve checks red endive in growing barn. Photo: Gordon Beck

Visiting the growing barn is an eerie experience because the crisp, furled shoots are grown in total darkness. Flashlights reveal rows and rows of endive plants of various sizes, standing in silent gloom, awaiting their debut in salads, baked gratin dishes, etc. Philippe Schryve, who heads his family company, explained the unique growing method, which started about 1830 during a war between Belgium and Holland. When a farmer moved his chicory plants into his cellar to save them from scavengers, he found the plants pushing up shoots in the dark. Botanists later refined the growing method and both Belgian and French consumers came to enjoy the slightly bitter salad food. Schryve’s workers plant chicory seeds in fields each spring, let them grow strong roots for 170 days, harvest the plants in the autumn, refrigerate the roots so they go into a dormant state, and plough the foliage back to make green fertilizer. The roots are then started in a peat moss mixture at one-week intervals. Darkness is essential as the endives grow or the leaves would turn green and taste too bitter, Philippe explained.

After sprouting in the cool, humid barn for 21 to 24 days, the sprouts have become the full-grown endives we are offered on vegetable counters.