Big Bowl Lettuce is In

This past week, Big Bowl Chicago stores received their first major crop from Heritage Prairie Farm.  All lettuce (that’s 480 Lbs per week) served in our four Chicago locations will be organically grown heirloom varieties.  Too often lettuce is the watery tasteless greenery lying under an equally tasteless tomato on the plate.  Not this lettuce.  Organically raised and field grown, Heritage Prairie grows three cool weather spring varieties each with its own unique taste and texture.  Tender leaves and a lovely red color distinguish the variety know as Red Cyrus.  Look for Red Cyrus on our summer rolls and lettuce wraps.  We are also serving a butter head lettuce, Hermosa, for a nice contrast. Winter Density in an open head variety of Romaine we are using in the mandarin salad and shredded in our summer rolls.  We mix these three varieties to make a true spring mix for the organic salad with sesame vinaigrette.  As the weather turns warm these varieties quickly turn bitter and go to seed (known as bolting) so enjoy them while they are tender and sweet.