Seasons/Availability
Iceberg lettuce is available year round.
Current Facts
Even though there are many choices in the wonderful world of lettuce, many tend to remain faithful to old reliable iceberg lettuce.
Description/Taste
Usually about six inches or larger in diameter, old faithful iceberg lettuce is round and firm. The mild-flavored pale green leaves offer a refreshing, juicy and crisp texture.
Nutritional Value
Offering folate, iceberg lettuce has only some vitamin C, potassium and iron. A shredded cupful has to be consumed in order to reap any nutritional benefits. Sadly, one or two leaves do not offer much nutrition.
Applications
Crisp chilled iceberg lettuce leaves dress up tuna, egg, chicken or turkey salad sandwiches. Add refreshing flavor to peanut butter and club sandwiches. Combine with tomatoes, radishes, olives, cucumbers and carrots for a healthy salad. Top with slivers of chicken, ham or turkey for a satisfying main entree. Shred for tacos. Fill cupped leaves with fresh or grilled fruit. To store, wrap in plastic; refrigerate in crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
This type of lettuce is an excellent choice for making a classic Greek salad with tomatoes, radishes and cucumbers. In 1894, a Burpee & Co. seed catalog stated this about iceberg lettuce: "There is no handsomer or more solid Cabbage Lettuce in cultivation." Unfortunately, this lettuce variety has been the bane of true gourmet cooks and the butt of many culinary jokes. It has been claimed that a "cold pack" made from chilled iceberg lettuce leaves aids in the relief of bumps and bruises. Chill whole leaves in freezer for at least one hour; crumple and secure with tape on the injury. Works every time.
Geography/History
They say this lettuce came to be when a different looking and sweeter tasting head of lettuce somehow appeared in a grower's field over one hundred years ago. Noticing it was quite different from the lettuces surrounding it and liking its flavor and superior crispness, the growers teamed with other lettuce producers to make it even better. This variety became a top seller and remains very popular still today. More accurately called crisphead, there are actually many varieties of this type of lettuce. Some varieties produce reddish leaves tinged with green and some have plain and scalloped edges. Iceberg lettuce was called "crisphead", its true name, until the 1920s. It acquired the name iceberg because of its ability to be an excellent long distance traveler when packed on ice. Depending on the time of year, crisphead lettuce develops a firm head in 60 to 120 days and is harvested by hand. It has been claimed that a "cold pack" made from chilled iceberg lettuce leaves aids in the relief of bumps and bruises. Chill whole leaves in freezer for at least one hour; crumple and secure with tape on the injury. Works every time.
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