Lettuce - did you know...

Lettuce - did you know...

 

When you pop a leaf or two of lettuce on your plate, when you chop and mix lettuce or take it for a spin in your salad spinner how much do you really know about this vegetable?
Did you know…

•    Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings depict different types of lettuce

•    It is a member of the daisy and thistle family

•    It was once served it at the end of a meal as it was believed to have sleep inducing properties- you may remember Peter Rabbit found Mr McGregor's lettuces had a soporific effect!

•    Emperor Caesar Augustus built a statue praising lettuce as he believed eating it had cured him of an illness

•     Lettuce was the first crop to be grown and eaten by the crew on the International Space Station...in 2015

•    It is really good for you – a mug of the stuff (think chopped and gently filled not packed in) is one of your five a day and it is very low in calories (consider it a free food) and a good source of Vitamins A and C, some iodine and potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron and folic acid.

This stalwart of salads, the humble lettuce, is so often used as a ‘base’ and then mixed with other stuff to add other more 'interesting’ things and covered with dressing.  Thus somewhere in the salad bowl lies an often overlooked yet wonderful plant.  With varieties that cover many shapes, sizes, colours, textures, growth habits, seasons and indeed flavours: isn’t it time to see lettuce in a new light?  There is no need to build a statue, just explore some of the many varieties...

Crispheads – compact hearts of crisp leaves.  Icebergs are the crispest of all and are grown for that texture rather than flavour.  Batavian types have thicker leaves and considered to have a notable flavour. 
 
Butterheads – well flavoured softer leaves.  These are ‘out of fashion’ as supermarkets dislike their shorter shelf life and they are less robust to transport damage!  As you will be picking from your garden and then eating you can enjoy these forgotten beauties.
 
Cos – sweet flavoured and upright, the hearts are looser and the leaves are bubbled.  Romaine types can grow large and tall but are also sweet flavoured
 
Looseleaf generally grow as a tuft of leaves and sometimes a small loose heart.  Most are ideal for growing as cut-&-come-again.  Mild flavoured leaves do not have a long shelf life.  These lettuces include oakleaf, lollo and catalogna types
 
Stem Lettuce – is another name for celtuce, it is an Asiatic type grown for the stem rather than the leaves.  When harvested you slice the stems for salads or stir fries, they have a lovely lettuce flavour.
 
Stagger your sowing to spread out your harvesting and with a range of lettuce choices by type and colour you can grow a vibrant patchwork of flavour in your garden. 
 
Enjoy growing and getting to know more about lovely lettuce!