Veggie of the Week - Sierra
sponsored by Coleman Farms

Sierra, like Iceberg, is a kind of Batavia lettuce, but raher than forming heads, Sierra has long open leaves, similar to Romaine, but crisp and with uniform texture like Iceberg. These leafy properties are perfect for sandwich making - the leaves stack neatly onto a slice of bread, the color stands out, the crisp texture enhances mouth feel and holds up over time and against hot fillings. The size of the leaf - that of a large human hand - makes it possible to do something else with bread or bun, simply placing fillings on the leaf of lettuce.

And then there are salads. The texture complements a softer lettuce like Vulcan or Simpson, and supplements crisper ones, such as Grenobloise or Romaine. The taste is not sweet, nor is it bitter; rather a light mineral flavor with leafy overtones and some of the astringency found near the core of commercial Iceberg.

Available as production allows year round from Coleman Farms.