With increasing globalisation in the food world, it is harder and harder to identify French foods that are not sold in the USA. Belgian endives are an example: when I moved to France in 1990, I had never seen one. Now I notice them in certain supermarkets when I go back to the USA. I imagine, though, that they are an upscale, somewhat obscure veggy -- correct me if I'm wrong.
In France, endives are a winter staple; there is nothing chic about them. Simply called endives in French -- and chicons in Belgium -- they are on the market stands from October to May. Generally unpopular with children, families nonetheless serve them frequently, especially in the dead of winter when many other vegetables are out of season.
Endives have a double personality: as a salad vegetable, they are quick and easy to prepare, but they are slow to cook. So endive salads make their way onto my table several times a week, whereas cooked dishes, such as the classic gratin d'endives au jambon, are more of a weekend treat.
I usually buy the "endives de pleine terre" which are cultivated in real soil rather than sand -- a bit more expensive, but also more flavorful. Red Belgian endives exist, but are difficult to find. My Larousse Gastronomique claims that they are unattractive to consumers, although it's hard to imagine why. Personally, I serve Belgian endives so often that I would love to vary their pale appearance from time to time.
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