endive

It looks like lettuce, but sure doesn't taste like lettuce. Endive (Cichorium endivia) and, its cousin, escarole, are distinct tasting greens popular in Europe, but gaining in notoriety in our country. Endive has deeply cut, curly leaves, while escarole has broad, smooth-leaves. Both form loose heads with tender white leaves and stems in the center. I grew up eating my mother's escarole soup, so I love these slightly bitter greens, that stay slightly crunchy even after cooking. The greens can be used like lettuce in salads or cooked in...

I must admit, I've been seduced by all the new, colorful, unusual greens on the market these days. But for old fashioned flavor and utility, you can't beat lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Even lettuce has had a facelift in recent years. There are new varieties with red and green speckled leaves, lime green colored leaves, and burgundy colored leaves. I grow them in amongst the flowers they're so beautiful. They also are a great window box, hanging basket, and container plant. I even grew lettuce in an old shoe once. You can grow crunchy romaine...

It used to be salad was made of lettuce and, maybe, spinach greens. Then Americans discovered mesclun mixes. I remember first eating a mesclun mix salad and being amazed at the flavors, colors, and textures. Mesclun mix is a European invention. Gardeners there would traditionally gather wild and cultivated greens and herbs and mix them together in a salad with a home made dressing. (My European friends scoff at our bottled dressings). By mixing various greens you can create a number of different colorful and flavorful salads. Some mixes...