Rainbow Swiss Chard
Estimated Inventory, 12 ct : 5.50
This item was last sold on : 01/08/25
Description/Taste
Rainbow Swiss chard varies in size, depending on growing conditions and age at harvest, and is comprised of elongated, slender stems and broad, flat, and textured leaves. The stems range in color from shades of gold, orange, purple, red, pink, white, and green and grow in an overlapping, upright rosette during cultivation. The stems are also taut, firm, lightly striated, and ribbed, and their coloring extends into the midrib and veining of the greens. Rainbow Swiss chard leaves are generally dark green, sometimes with a bronze hue, and have a faintly glossy, crinkled, deeply veined appearance. The leaves are tender, crisp, and succulent when young, becoming chewier and more toothsome as they mature. The stems are thicker, tougher, and more fibrous, commonly cooked before consumption to soften their consistency. Rainbow Swiss chard is entirely edible and is consumed raw or cooked. The leaves have an earthy, subtly sweet, salty, and bitter taste with a distinct minerality. Once cooked, their tangy flavors mellow and become milder, earthy, green, and faintly nutty. The stems are typically cooked and develop a slightly sweeter, vegetal taste than the leaves.
Seasons/Availability
Rainbow Swiss chard is available year-round, with a peak season in the summer.
Current Facts
Rainbow Swiss chard, botanically classified as Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla var. flavescens, is a collective term for several varieties of chard belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. The name Rainbow Swiss Chard is not a specific variety but a marketing descriptor used by seed catalogs and vendors in commercial markets. Multiple varieties of chard are bundled into colorful bunches and are sold to attract consumer interest and provide chard groupings with a well-rounded flavor. Most chard varieties are used the same in cooking methods, but each individual variety may have a subtle flavor nuance. Rainbow Swiss chard allows consumers to sample several varieties for enhanced aesthetics and taste. Seed companies have also created multi-colored Rainbow Swiss chard seed packets under names such as Bright Lights, Neon Lights, and Five Color Silverbeet. Rainbow Swiss chard is favored for its colorful nature, easy-to-cook qualities, and nutritional properties. Chard, in general, is an ancient crop, and growers have been sowing the upright, leafed stalks as a culinary and medicinal ingredient for thousands of years. It is important to note that the terms chard and Swiss chard are used interchangeably in commercial markets. In the modern day, Swiss chard has continued to be used for culinary purposes and is also now used as a colorful ornamental in home gardens worldwide. Swiss chard is a low-maintenance, hardy plant that is tolerant to extreme temperatures and has a long growing season. Both the stems and leaves are edible in Rainbow Swiss chard bundles, and the greens and stems are incorporated into a wide array of raw and cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Rainbow Swiss chard varies in nutritional properties as each individual variety will have unique levels of vitamins and minerals. Swiss chard, as an overall category, is known for containing vitamins A, C, E, and K to strengthen the immune system, guard the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, aid in faster wound healing, and convert beta-carotene to vitamin A in the body to maintain healthy organs. Chard also provides calcium and phosphorus to support bones and teeth, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and other nutrients, including manganese, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Some varieties of Rainbow Swiss chard may contain betalains, which are water-soluble compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Historically, Chard greens were utilized in natural medicines throughout Europe as an aid to heart diseases, headaches, dandruff, and toothaches. Decoctions and juices were also made and topically applied to skin irritations and ulcers.
Applications
Rainbow Swiss chard has an earthy, subtly sweet, bitter, and mineral-forward flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Young chard greens are tender and can be used whole in salads, sandwiches, or torn as a topping over tacos. As the greens mature, the leaves should be separated from the stems as they require different cooking times. The leaves can be easily stripped by hand from the stem and incorporated into recipes like spinach and kale. Rainbow Swiss chard leaves cook quickly and can be added at the end of preparations to gently wilt before serving. The leaves are also used as a wrap and can be folded around fish or other ingredients before steaming or baking. Rainbow Swiss chard leaves are combined into pies and egg dishes in Europe and North America, including frittata and quiche. They are also used in soups and stews, baked into casseroles, stir-fried with vegetables, and added to various pasta and ravioli dishes. In addition to the leaves, Rainbow Swiss chard stems require longer cooking times and have a similar nature to asparagus and celery. The pigmented stems sometimes release color into lighter-colored dishes and are popularly braised, pickled, sauteed, and grilled. Rainbow Swiss chard pairs well with tomatoes, peppers, artichokes, roasted meats such as poultry, pork, lamb, and turkey, cheeses such as pecorino, gruyere, and parmesan, and herbs such as basil, cilantro, and thyme. The leaves and stems should be separated for storage. The leaves can be wrapped in paper towels and, if stored properly, can stay for up to one week. Rainbow Swiss chard can also be blanched and frozen for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Swiss chard varieties are traditionally incorporated as a central ingredient in tourte de blettes, a French pie comprised of chard, raisins, apples, pine nuts, sugar, cheese, and pastry. The first recorded recipe of tourte de blettes dates back to the 15th century, but historians believe the pies were made much earlier than this date. Tourte de blettes is deeply intertwined into the culinary story of Nice, France, and was one of the notable emblematic desserts mentioned in the first Niçoise cookbook by chef Henri Heyraud in 1909. There are many variations of the dish, but Swiss chard is a central ingredient and essential leafy green in the pie and other recipes within Niçoise cuisine. Tourte de blettes is also famously served as a Christmas dessert in France, and only the leaves of Swiss chard are incorporated into the pie. The dish is often one of the thirteen desserts of Christmas, a regional custom of serving thirteen sweets to honor Christ and the twelve apostles. The thirteen desserts are eaten after midnight mass during Christmas and are served for the following three days as a festive and spiritual practice. In modern preparations, the desserts are served anytime throughout the Christmas season to friends and family as a symbol of abundance.
Geography/History
Swiss chard is a descendant of the wild sea beet, an ancient plant native to coastal regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. Wild sea beets were selected by early civilizations for domestication, and as they were selectively bred for traits, new variations of the plant developed, creating the first types of chard. Swiss chard was frequently seen in ancient Sicilian home gardens, and as the plants spread throughout the Mediterranean, they were believed to have been cultivated in Ancient Rome and Greece by 400 BCE. A few records note that Aristotle may have mentioned a red-stemmed chard variety in writings dating around 350 BCE. Early forms of chard were later introduced to regions across Asia and Europe, and over time, the edible greens were noted in English gardens and books by the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The term Rainbow Swiss chard was thought to have been created in the 19th century as a marketing method for increased consumer appeal. Rainbow Swiss chard also appeared in the Vilmorin Seed Catalog in 1888 and eventually became a common descriptor for multi-colored bundles. Today, Swiss chard varieties are commercially produced and grown in home gardens in temperate regions worldwide. The colorful stems and leaves are sold in groupings through farmer’s markets, supermarkets, and select wholesalers.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Brigantine Coronado | Coronado CA | 619-435-4166 |
| WineSellar & Brasserie | San Diego CA | 858-450-9557 |
| Brigantine Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-481-1166 |
| Catania La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-551-5105 |
| The Remy | San Diego CA | 619-886-1358 |
| Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-756-1582 |
| Adobo House | San Diego CA | 619-990-8340 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Grill | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| Catamaran | San Diego CA | 858-488-1081 |
| Cal A Vie | Vista CA | 760-945-2055 |
| US Grant Hotel Grill | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| Tipsy Crow | San Diego CA | 619-338-9300 |
| Make Stuff Good | San Diego CA | 949-547-9470 |
| Hotel La Jolla - Sea & Sky | La Jolla CA | 858-459-0261 |
| Rancho Bernardo Inn (Avant) | San Diego CA | 858-675-8505 |
| Kettner Exchange | San Diego CA | 909-915-9877 |
| PFC Fitness Camp | Carlsbad CA | 888-488-8936 |
| Pamplemousse Grill | Solana Beach CA | 858-792-9090 |
| Crown Point Catering | San Diego CA | 619-223-1211 |
| Bernardo Heights Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-487-4022 |
| Jake's Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-755-2002 |
| Chef Jenn | Solana Beach CA | 858-212-9054 |
| Brigantine Poway | Poway CA | 858-486-3066 |
| Born & Raised | San Diego CA | 619-944-1631 |
| Park Hyatt Aviara (Ember & Rye) | Carlsbad CA | 760-448-1234 |
| Sycuan Casino | El Cajon CA | 619-445-6002 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| La Clochette Du Coin-Pacific Beach | San Diego CA | 619-402-7911 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Rainbow Swiss Chard. One
is easiest, three is harder.
