Four Rare & Unusual Lettuces
This year I'm growing a variety of heirloom lettuces that are not your typical fare. I wanted to compare these to see if I could find a new favorite in the mix.
Brune d'hiver - Introduced in 1855 it has green leaves tinged with a reddish-brown blush. Brune d'hiver, which means "Winter Brown" in French, is a bibb or butterhead-type lettuce that is often planted in the fall because it is cold tolerant, but I started it early in the spring and it has done quite well (We are having an unusually cold, wet spring and it's been a benefit to this lettuce). I found it to be a very soft lettuce with a bitter finish but not as bitter as Forellenschluss.
Forellenschluss - This is an Austrian heirloom romaine-type lettuce with mottled red spots. The name means "spotted like a trout" and indeed the lettuce has markings similar to that of a trout. It too is a very cold tolerant variety. The leaves were a little tougher than the other varieties and it was also little more bitter. What makes this variety a standout is the unusual coloration and I think it add great visual appeal to a salad.
De Morges Braun - A Swiss heirloom romaine-type lettuce with green leaves and slight reddish tinging in areas. Leaves are soft and the flavor was mild. This was the least distinct tasting of the four lettuces in this sample.
Little Gem - An English romaine-type lettuce with a compact growth habit and light green leaves. This was the sweetest of the lettuces of the group and even the stems are quite sweet. This is probably the most kid-friendly of the four lettuces, followed by De Morges Braun.
All of the lettuces were easy to grow and I believe most were ready for harvest in about 50-60 days. I've noted some of the taste and texture differences between these lettuces, but in candor, the Little Gem is probably the one that is most distinctly different. In a salad, with other ingredients and dressing, I think it would be hard to distinguish one from another. I would recommend any of these to you.
If I had to choose a favorite, I personally would go with the Forellenschluss for it's beautiful color. I have to admit, I'm also drawn to it because I like the name "Spotted like A Trout." It reminds me of the beautiful paintings of trout by author and artist James Prosek (see photo)
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