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History of Lettuce
Lettuce was considered an aphrodisiac food in Ancient Egypt. Later, Ancient Greek physicians believed lettuce could act as a sleep-inducing agent. The Romans cultivated it, and it eventually made its way to the Papal Court at Avignon, France. Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the New World in the 15th century.
Lettuce is a cool weather crop and all types of lettuce are normally sown here in Tennessee by early spring, then again in late summer in sunny positions or as a summer crop sown in the shade.
Here are six commonly recognized Groups of lettuce which are ordered here by head formation and leaf structure, but there are hundreds more.
Butterhead, forms loose heads. Its leaves have a buttery texture. Popular varieties include Boston, Bibb, Buttercrunch, and Tom Thumb.
Chinese lettuce, types generally have long, sword-shaped, non-head-forming leaves, with a bitter and robust flavor unlike Western types, for use in stir-fried dishes and stews.
Crisphead, also called Iceberg, forms tight, dense heads that resemble cabbage. They are generally the mildest of the lettuces, valued more for their crunchy texture than for flavor.
Looseleaf, has tender, delicate, and mildly flavored leaves. This group includes oak leaf and lollo rosso lettuces.
Romaine, also called Cos, grows in a long head of sturdy leaves with a firm rib down the center. Unlike most lettuces, it is tolerant of heat.
Summer Crisp, also called Batavian, forms moderately dense heads with a crunchy texture. This type is intermediate between iceberg and looseleaf types.
Some lettuces (especially iceberg) have been specifically bred to remove the bitterness from their leaves. These lettuces have a high water content with very little nutrient value. The more bitter lettuces and the ones with pigmented leaves contain antioxidants.
Lettuce is a low calorie food and is a source of vitamin A and folic acid. Lactucarium (or “Lettuce Opium”) is a mild opiate-like substance that is contained in all types of lettuce. Both the Romans and Egyptians took advantage of this property eating lettuce at the end of a meal to induce sleep.
Salad Recipe
Red leaf and baby romaine lettuces are so tender they're best eaten straight from the garden or at least within a day or two of picking. Mild and delicate, they pair wonderfully with peppery radishes and chopped hard-boiled eggs in this easy salad.
Nana’s Vinaigrette
1/4 small onion, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
Salad
2 cups Red leaf or other leaf lettuce
2 cups Romaine
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup chopped green or red pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
To prepare vinaigrette: Puree, oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, basil, soy sauce, and water until smooth.
To prepare salad: wash and drain lettuce, if you have a wooden bowl use that, if not use a large glass bowl. (note: stainless steal will turn lettuce brown quicker) Pour 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette over the greens, radishes, & peppers; toss to coat. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1 cup vinaigrette for up to 3 days.) Serve the salad garnished with hard-boiled egg.
Visit my favorite websites to find a farm near you or pick a shady spot in your yard and sow some hardy romaine lettuce today.
(localtable.net, picktnproducts.org, tnfarmfresh.com, appalachiangrown.org.)
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Ladybug McGreen's Blog 
