Vegetables
Lettuce
レタス れたす
At its best in Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug
When it is at its best
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Salad
Torn by hand; a knife turns the cut edges red.
Stir-fried
Cooked quickly over high heat, taken off before it wilts.
Soup
Added at the end, keeping some bite.
As a wrap
Wrapped around grilled meat or stir-fries, where its freshness tells.
How to choose
Light in the hand and loosely furled, with a small white cut at the base.
Storage
Press damp paper to the core, bag and refrigerate. Once cut, use soon.
Main areas
Good to know
A heavy head means it has grown too far and turned bitter, so choose light ones. Cut surfaces brown because of polyphenols, which tearing by hand keeps in check. Summer crops come from the Nagano highlands, winter ones from Ibaraki and Shizuoka.
