winter food: lambs lettuce
Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) has self seeded all over one of my veggie garden plots. It has been growing all winter, and it has been used on many of our sandwiches for lunch. I've left it there, for not many things grow all winter long, so fresh and tasty.This is the leafy green that Rapunzel's mother was craving in the faerie tales. She was pregnant at the time, and begged her husband to steal it from the witch's garden. I don't blame her, it does have a lovely taste. But her husband was caught and the witch demanded their first born child in exchange for the lamb's lettuce. He agreed. Crazy man! I don't think I would got to that length to acquire this green! Luckily, it grows easily in my garden, so no need to give up my first born.
posted by Silvia Hoefnagels . Salix Tree @ 5:08 pm
5 Comments:
Thanks for the reminder of the rapunzel story, most think only of the long hair! Do you know the botanical name of this, it looks similar to a 'weed' here, I would love to find out it is edible and the stuff of classic tales as well.
Frances at Faire Garden
Frances, I've edited in the latin name in the post now. "Valerianella locusta"
In my fairy tale book it is called Rampion. I always wondered what that was-- I wonder does it taste like cress?
Chedwick, yes, that's also a version of the tale. Rampion is a variety of campanula, and its root is said to be extremely tasty as well.
My lambs lettuce doesn't taste like cress, more like a butter lettuce but with a slightly stronger taste.
I also love lamb's lettuce-though here in the tropics I can only manage to grow baby rosettes in the shade. Yes, lucky for your fist born LOL
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