27 Jul Wed 2011
Lettuce
Head Lettuce
The six most common kinds of cultivated lettuce are in the daisy family Asteraceae. Lettuce has a long history. It was considered to be an aphrodisiac food in Ancient Egypt and a sleep aid by the Romans. Christopher Columbus introduced the vegetable to North America. Lettuce is a low calorie food that delivers a high volume of vitamin A and foliate.
Storing lettuce will require a little care if you want the leaves to remain crisp and healthy. My method is to wrap my lettuce in fabric, slip the bundle into a perforated bag, and place all in the crisper. Water and oxygen are the biggest foes that your lettuce needs to contend against. These precautions protect it from too much of these negative influences.
In addition to following those procedures, do beware of what's nearby. Fruits like apples and oranges and vegetables like tomatoes and strawberries can release a gas-hormone that will encourage your lettuce to spoil.
This week you'll be getting another portion of salad mix. Since we are in the high season of strawberries, and some of you may be searching for new ways to enjoy Michigan's blessed fruit, I sought out a salad recipe that uses strawberries. Let me know what you think:
- One third of a pound of salad greens and/or lettuce
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds