What comes to your mind when you think about the word “lettuce”? In general, people always have the same picture in mind: a leafy green with a very mild taste, giving it the reputation of a simple vegetable, and even a bit boring. But this is in fact a huge misconception about its true diversity: in fact,  there is a very vast choice of varieties in the lettuce world ! Today, we will reveal the diversity of lettuce varieties, and the type of lettuce to grow in summer.

Some of the most used lettuce types in Germany 

Arugula or rocket (Rucola in German): this is a lettuce which comes from the Mediterranean basin, with an intense and spicy taste, very distinctive from other salads.

Butter lettuce (Kopfsalat in German): This lettuce is a very popular type of salad. Its savor is very mild, a little bit buttery, like its name.

Romaine lettuce (Römersalat in German): This species is often used in Caesar salads. Its taste is similar to iceberg lettuce, but with a more pronounced flavor.

Iceberg (Eisbergsalat in German): This lettuce is a very popular type of salad. Its savor is very mild, a little bit buttery, like its name.

Lamb’s lettuce: here is a very resilient  winter vegetable. The lamb’s lettuce takes A LOT of different names in the German language (Feldsalat, Ackersalat, Mausohrsalat, Nüsschen, Rapunzel, etc)! Its taste is fresh and nutty, a little bit bitter.

Wild lettuce (Wilder Lattich in German): this plant is a natural painkiller and a sleep inducer. It is very tender with a mild flavor.

There are many other types of lettuce, but we won’t quote all of them in this article, because as you can see, there are too many of them! This really highlights the true richness of this leafy green vegetable.

Lettuce to grow in summer

Contrary to popular belief, some lettuce can withstand the heat of summer. Among the ones quoted below, the arugula salad, butterhead lettuce and the romaine lettuce are the most heat tolerant. Loose leaf lettuces are also quite heat tolerant. But this is not the case for lamb’s lettuce or iceberg lettuce, which are especially heat sensitive.

Don’t hesitate to follow Fabio Sardone’s recipes to taste different sorts of lettuces in his recipes. All of the used lettuces are green and wild organic products from the Berlin/Brandenburg region and are strictly seasonal.