Lettuce Wrap Up

March 13, 2008

What’s the deal with lettuce? It has one name, but many different kinds. Lettuce is a bit of a mystery to me - I generally don’t know what kind I’m eating or what it is supposed to taste like. Therefore, I’d like to give a brief overview of the four main types of lettuce that you’ll see in the supermarket.

• Iceberg - Most people would recognize iceberg lettuce when they see it; it is quite common and popular. If whole, it is a tight head of light green lettuce with large mid-ribs. Unfortunately, its distinctive crunch arises from its composition being mostly water. It lacks flavor and nutrients, so it is good to combine it with other greens or vegetables. It keeps for weeks when refrigerated.
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• Romaine (aka Cos) - Romaine is probably a familiar name to most, even if you couldn’t pick it out of a lettuce line-up. It is crispy with large mid-ribs and long leaves and comes in a loose head. The flavor is slightly bitter and it keeps almost as well as iceberg.
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• Boston (aka Butterhead) - This one is completely new to me. It is described as soft and slightly bitter with small mid-ribs, appearing on shelves as an open cluster of leaves. Unfortunately, it has a short shelf-life because of its open form - moisture can easily escape.
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• Loose Leaf (aka bunching, cutting) - This lettuce is a cluster of leaves with a short shelf-life. There is much variety in this category but they are made up primarily of green and red varieties. They have a bitter taste.
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The general advice for lettuce and salads is to mix different kinds so you don’t end up with a salad too bitter - all loose leaf - or too bland - all iceberg.

Here is a handy chart for reference:

I hope you found this useful. But remember, folks, you don’t make friends with salad. (Simpsons reference for those of you not acquainted.)

Posted in Food Profiles |