It was not cultivated in Europe until the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. Since then it has become part of European cuisine. They are virtually interchangeable in recipes. Scorzonera roots have also been used as a coffee substitute in the same way as chicory. The roots are peeled before cooking, causing the flesh to bleed, which can stain.
Some cooks wear gloves or clean the roots under water.
Scorzonera has a subtle, delicate, sweet flavour that many may find too bland. It has been described as being asparagus-flavoured but others have likened it to the flavour of artichoke heart. Scorzonera is dominantly used fresh but it can be processed for bottling or canning. Agronomy Scorzonera is normally sown in spring and harvested in autumn and winter, or sown in autumn and harvested in early summer. In very friable soils roots can grow up to 60 cm long.