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Lettuce is a leaf vegetable typically eaten on sandwiches, in salads and many other North American dishes, but is commonly cooked before being ate in Asia. An annual or biennial member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family, lettuce grows best in temperate climates and is harvested before it flowers when grown for food. Six major groups of lettuce are cultivated for human consumption: Chinese, butter head, crisp head (iceberg), looseleaf, summer crisp and romaine.
Lettuce is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region and can be seen in Egyptian tomb paintings dated to 4500 B.C. Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the new world, and wild varieties are now common in Europe, North America and temperate Asia.
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Fast Facts:
- Romans ate lettuce after meals to induce sleep
- 95% of all lettuce in US grown in California and Arizona
- Largest known head weighed 25 lbs
- Valuable source of vitamin A and folic acid
- Lactucarium ("Lettuce Opium") is a substance resembling opium present in all lettuce
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Lettuce Questions
If you had to add an ingredient to the famous BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) sandwich, which one would you add and why? 21 AnswersMmm, I would add cheese sauce. Any kind of cheese anybody wanted! I love cheese... and I'd call it the BL-"moo"-T. =] It would definitely help the sandwich sti... read more
What are some good uses for lettuce besides in salads and as a sandwich topping? 7 AnswersLettuce wraps are my favorite. Just not Asian food but a few years ago the fad in fast food was lettuce wrapped whatevers (burgers, chicken, etc.) for those f... read more
Trying to grab something to eat. Ive got eggs, a head of lettuce, white tuna, bread and pineapples. What can I make? Suggestions? 1 AnswerBrown pineapple in frying pan. Remove. Break eggs into frying pan with a little oil and the remainder of the juice of the pineapple. Stir eggs to make an ome... read more
Will eating locally, sustainably grown lettuce cause my chain grocery store to close down? 1 AnswerNo, not at all. Even if you grew enough to supply your entire town with all the free lettuce they can eat, there are thousands of other items that the store co... read more -




