lettuce , understanding which is which in the edible garden of paradise

Lettuce

Lettuce

Time for a New Leaf on Life

The produce aisles are growing and it�s easy to get lost in the sea of green.

Here we'll help you understand who�s who in this edible garden of paradise.

Arugula

Arugula ~ or rocket as it is sometimes referred to in Europe, has captured the hearts of salad lovers.

Look for dark, flat, serrated leaves shaped like small oak leaves.

It�s either sold in bunches with the roots attached or washed, packaged and ready to eat.

Arugula has a distinctive peppery, nutty, spicy flavour.

And best of all, it contains beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Belgian Endive

This torpedo-shaped vegetable is the delicious product of a centuries-old accident.

A Brussels farmer left some chicory roots covered in soil in the cellar, only to discover they had sprouted into a velvety, crisp salad ingredient.

Pair its slightly bitter flavour with sweeter greens or �Waldorf-it� with apples, toasted walnuts and Stilton cheese.

Escarole, Curly Endive & Fris�e

Buyer beware, it�s easy to confuse a head of escarole and curly endive with a large head of leaf lettuce.

Curly endive has curlier, rimmed leaves while escarole has slightly curled, pale green leaves.

Fris�e is more distinctive, with its finely cut, frizzy pale green-to-white leaves.

All are members of the bitter endive family and just a little goes a long way in a mixed salad.

M�che

Also known as lamb�s lettuce, this French favourite is new to the North American palate.

Its nutty, sweet and gentle flavour is a perfect counterpoint to bitter or intense greens.

Look for dark green spoon-shaped leaves clustered in rosettes.

M�che is sold loose or pre-packaged.

Radicchio

These crimson and white-streaked leaves are found in round balls or in elongated heads (Treviso).

Radicchio is the right ingredient for any salad desperately needing a colour pick-me-up.

It�s mildly bitter, but mellows beautifully when grilled.

Watercress

Dubbed the poor man�s arugula, watercress has cut loose from its stodgy sandwich image and moved into the gourmet arena.

Look for a tangled bunch of coin-sized, dark green leaves on long, slender green stems.

Watercress contains calcium and vitamin C and has a sharp, slightly peppery tang.

It's also excellent at combatting second hand cigarette smoke.

Boston, Bibb or Butter

A head of Boston lettuce resembles a flowering rose while Bibb has a smaller, cup-shaped head.

All have a loose head of blonde-green leaves and possess a soft, buttery texture and sweet, mild flavour.

Perfect for any leaf salad and any meal.

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