1 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor production of iHeart Radio. I'm 2 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Anny and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we have an 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: episode for you about lettuce. Yes, oh, the puns. The puns. Also, 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: this was a tough one we were talking about before, 5 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: as we usually do. It's just a lot of side quests, 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: as you put it, Lauren, with this one. Yeah, because 7 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: lettuce as it is a really broad term as it 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: turns out, and there's really like a like an origin 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: story of every well known varietal of lettuce that we 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: could have gone into. But I think, but I think 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: are probably their own episodes or many episodes, or would 12 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: fit better into something else that's related yet. So so yeah, um, 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: it's not an episode about like Caesar salad, it's not. 14 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: It's not an episode about the evil Bib family legacy. Um. Yeah, 15 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: which is a sentence that I didn't know I was 16 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: going to have to say until Annie wrote a note 17 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: in here about it. But more on that in a second. Yeah, yeah, 18 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: because it was kind of like, oh goodness, I could 19 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: talk about this specific bridal or this one or this 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,119 Speaker 1: one or this one or this one, and it's too much, 21 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: and it's the holidays we're coming out of and you know, 22 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: it's like it was a lot. It was a lot. Yeah, yeah, 23 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 1: we're coming out of the holidays. We are now in 24 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: the holidays. Yes, honestly, yes, Um. Was there any particular 25 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: impetus behind this one? You know, I was, I was 26 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: going through towards the end of last year, and I 27 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: was picking all of these topics, and it was all 28 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: of these rich, heavy foods that you know, we really 29 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: associate with the holidays and with celebrations, and I was like, 30 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: would it be funny to follow up like cream liqueurs 31 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: with lettuce? Would that be amazing and hilarious and wouldn't 32 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: it be great to talk about? So yeah, that's how 33 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: that's how it happened. Yeah, and I believe we mentioned this. 34 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: It's all a blur the holidays. As you said. We 35 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: had our company holiday party, which was interesting experience as 36 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: it always is, UM, And there was a lot of 37 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: leftover pizza and salad at the end of the night, 38 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: which ended early, and I actually I loved it, but 39 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: I took home like half a like party tin of salad. 40 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: I love salad. Yeah, this was like like like right, 41 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: like a like like a solid like like half tray 42 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: of heck and salad. Yes, um, yeah, I took home 43 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: at least one whole pizza. So we were doing our duty. 44 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: We were we were helping. Absolutely, We're always here to 45 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: but parties. If you need food or drink to get going, 46 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: there for you. Yeah, but that was what I did. 47 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: Eat all the salad. Good for you. I've I've I've 48 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:16,279 Speaker 1: let so many aspirational boxes of salad in my fridge. 49 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: I feel like I have a lot of friends that 50 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: have a similar Like, every time I buy a bag 51 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: of lettuce, it's gonna go bad and I can't help it. 52 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I mean, I understand it will go 53 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: bad very quickly. It does, it does. The thing is 54 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: that I hate bottled salad dressing and uh, and so 55 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: I refused to buy it. But also if I'm like 56 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: looking at that type of lettuce and i'd like need 57 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: a meal so that I don't murder everyone, I'm not 58 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: going to stop and make my own salad dressing. So 59 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: I should I should know this about myself. But every time, 60 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: again it's aspirational, I'm just like, maybe, yeah, it's one 61 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: of those things. It's like a character tree. It should 62 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: be on like your D and D car always wants 63 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: a salad, never will eat one. Actually jee oh yeah, 64 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: that would be on mine. I did think of. As 65 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned before, I love the show Wellington Paranormal and 66 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: reading this research, there's a joke in one of the 67 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: episodes where there's an alien species who like clones them 68 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,239 Speaker 1: after the humans of the show uh in their image, 69 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: but their one weakness is slugs. But one of the 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: characters has just a very sad salad for lunch and 71 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: slugs of infiltrated the salad and that's how they defeat 72 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: the alien creatures. And reading through this, yes, slugs are 73 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: a real menace from there, I love that. Oh my 74 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: gosh um. And then I was reminded h as longtime 75 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: listeners of the show, well now I love kale um. 76 00:04:55,520 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: And one time my ex's mother was telling me about 77 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: how much she hated cattle and she couldn't believe that 78 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: I loved it, and she compared it to iceberg lettuce, 79 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: which I don't. I like iceberg lettuce, but I was 80 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: like a gas. I was like, how dare you? They 81 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: are different things. They're not the same. I'm getting they 82 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: are very different creatures. It is true I'm in no 83 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: way disagreeing with you. Um. I was she comparing them 84 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: in terms of like it's a boring base for other things, 85 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: or she said they had no flavor, which I would 86 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: disagree whether or not you like the flavor is one thing, 87 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: but I would say Kal has a very strong flavor, 88 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: much stronger than Iceberg. Yes. And again I like, look, 89 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: I'm getting all okay, all right, all right, let me 90 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: let me bring you back. UM. So so one of 91 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,559 Speaker 1: the things that this all made me think of UM. 92 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: And and then I was hanging out with my friend 93 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: Jad yesterday and UH, he was like, okay, if you're 94 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: doing an episode and let us you need to talk 95 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: about let us surprise you which was this local Atlanta 96 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: salad bar chain UM. And I was like, you were correct, 97 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: I do UM. And it didn't really fit anywhere else 98 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: on the outline. So yeah, I looked into it briefly. 99 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: It was an Atlanta based salad bar chain was formed, 100 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: grew to have seven plus locations UM in Atlanta and 101 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: in Houston. UM. Then Uh, in less than a decade, 102 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: accrued a debt of five point four million dollars, was 103 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: sold to a holding company. And I think is now defunct. Oh, yeah, 104 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: we were. We were discussing before that salad bar is 105 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: one of my post Well still a lot of COVID, 106 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: but after a pandemic mindset, Oh, seems even shadier than 107 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: before to to do the buffet, especially cold buffet situation. Yeah, yeah, uh, 108 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: I haven't. I uh. We used to go to one. 109 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: It was next to the Best Buy and I lived 110 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: in a small town, so when we made the journey 111 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: to the best Buy, we would go to let is 112 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: surprise you. Um yeah, I lived near to one of 113 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: the other locations, and so I I think I went 114 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: literally once, maybe twice. I'm not. I have to say 115 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: I wasn't a big big on the salad bar trend. 116 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: I was always like I could make my own salads, 117 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: like right right. That was one of the interesting things 118 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: about my dad he had. He had a lot of 119 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: food choices that me myself, I was kind of like, huh, 120 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: which I'm sure he had about me as well. Um, 121 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: he would always pay extra money to get the salad 122 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: bar for his meal. Huh Yeah, No, not always, I 123 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: would say. The restaurants we did that, it was frequently 124 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: like you could upgrade to your side. Items could be 125 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: just the salad bar as opposed to with other things. 126 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: That was always such a thing, what a weird. I 127 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: think we did briefly touch on all of this in 128 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: our salads episode, but we really should do like a 129 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: specific like buffet salad bar. Yes, yeah, okay, uh, speaking 130 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: of yes, you can see our salad episode, yes, which 131 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: I wrote down twice because I this was a throwback episode. 132 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: We did this a while back, um, and I forgot 133 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: we did it twice during this out. I think we've 134 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: talked about salad and I looked at up and I 135 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: was like, oh, yeah, we did, And then I came 136 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: back and revisited. It was like, I think we've talked 137 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: about salad and I look, oh, yeah we did, and 138 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: I already looked up that we did. You can also 139 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: see a arugula share our rockets as it's called rockets sometimes. 140 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah yeah, Um, I would say briefly. Humors are 141 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: mentioned in here, okay sure, yeah yeah, And as you 142 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: kind of mentioned, Lauren, you can check out stuff you 143 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: missed in History Classes episode on Lettuce, slavery and the 144 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: Bib legacy, which goes into how Bib Lettuce is related 145 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: to um, all of those things and much more in 146 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: depth than we're even going to approach. Oh absolutely, yeah, yeah, 147 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: I mean in general, Um, stuff you missed in history 148 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: class does a superb job. If you do not already 149 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: listen to them, Um, you check them out. They're great. 150 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: They're great humans too. Yes, yes they are. But I 151 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: guess that brings us a walk question. I finally, yeah, 152 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: well let us what is it? Well, Lettuce is an 153 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 1: encompassing term for a lot of different varieties of of 154 00:09:55,679 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: these plants that grow with with relatively short heads or 155 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: clusters of broad, thin leaves, which we harvest and mostly 156 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: eat raw as the main body of salads. Uh. Those 157 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: leaves come in colors from whiteish too yellow to green 158 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: to red to purple, and have a crisp or even 159 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: crunchy texture um, and a flavor that can range from 160 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: mild too strongly vegetable or herbal or sweet or bitter 161 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: in various combinations. Um, they're like a They're like a 162 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:32,439 Speaker 1: real delicate cabbage that like went and got to blow out. Um. There, 163 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: they're like they're like okay, um, did you for do 164 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: that thing? Like sort of as a joke where you 165 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: wrapped a present for someone in like layers and layers 166 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: and layers of boxes and paper. They're unwrapping for like 167 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: ten minutes, and like maybe in the center it's just 168 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: more paper lettuces like that, but like delicious. Yeah, yeah, 169 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: it's like it's somehow delicate and it can pack such 170 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: a punch, but also in a way that's like I 171 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: don't know, it doesn't seem like it would be filling, 172 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: I guess, but it's so flavorful or it can be. Yeah, yeah, 173 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: I do love it. I do love it. Um botanical 174 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: name Lactuca sativa lettuces are a part of the large 175 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: asperassier or sunflower family, related to artichokes and dandelions, and 176 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: you can see our episodes on those. Um Lettuce plant 177 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: though will have a single short stem from which leaves 178 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:40,079 Speaker 1: grow in overlapping, clustered rounds at the center um as. 179 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: As the leaves grow and get older, they form an 180 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: outer layer around the new leaves that spring up from 181 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: that stem. And lettuces come in in two basic types, 182 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: headed lettuce, which will grow in these tight ball like clusters, 183 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 1: and loose leaf lettuce, which does not iceberg lettuce is 184 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: a headed lettuce. Romaine is a type of leaf lettuce, 185 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 1: although there are looser varieties. But yeah, anyway, um, yeah, so, 186 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: so the leaves can grow relatively flat or sort of 187 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: scalloped anywhere to full on roughly. Yeah, and if you 188 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: let them grow long enough, um, the plant will send 189 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: up flower stalks that look like the dandelions, like like 190 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: maybe like a dandelion crossed with a daisy, which is 191 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: also part of the Astrossi family, and will produce uh 192 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: seeds with long floaty bristles like like dandelion seeds. UM, 193 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: that will help them disperse. But lettuces are generally harvested 194 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: before they do that because they turn better afterwards. And 195 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: so yeah, you just replant them from new seeds every year. 196 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: If you do let one go to seed, like in 197 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: your garden, those seeds will not necessarily produce the same 198 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: variety of lettuce that they came from. I'm pretty sure 199 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: this is due to their propensity to cross pollinate. Um. 200 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: Just aip side gardening note anyway, Let us just do 201 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: like temperate to cool weathers and leaves can be harvested 202 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: from the outer ring off of the stem as needed, 203 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: which is usually what you do if you've got some 204 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: in your garden, or you can cut the whole stem 205 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: from the root um, which is usually what happens for 206 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: sale in a grocery store. And by the way, if 207 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: you buy one with like a decent bit of stem 208 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: still attached, you can pluck the outer leaves and set 209 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: it in water and it'll keep growing. Um. Though, honestly 210 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: like more sort of curiosity than like a source of 211 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: continuing nutrition, right, I've always been curious about that at 212 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: the grocery store, because you can buy the like living lettuce. 213 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:36,839 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, And I'm like, Okay, I don't know. 214 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,079 Speaker 1: It's I think it's just supposed to be fresher than 215 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: like the same way like like living flowers. Are you know, yeah, 216 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: it'll last a little longer in your fridge. Maybe, I 217 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know. I've always been curious about it. 218 00:13:55,400 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: I'm like the way that you said that, You're like, 219 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: is it a Frankenstein's monster is alive? Is this like 220 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: a shop of a little horrors? Worry about what's going on? Oh? Goodness? 221 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: Uh uh? Anyway, Yes. The leaves are usually um separated 222 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: and chopped or torn and served raw in salads, often 223 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: with other vegetation as an accompaniment. Um. Sometimes a whole head, 224 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: though might be sliced or quartered and served like that, 225 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: maybe given like a quick grill to develop some of 226 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: the sweetness or bitterness. This is a thing that I 227 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: had not had until maybe like five years or so ago, 228 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: and it changed my life so so delicious, oh my goodness. 229 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: Huh um. The leaves can also be used as a 230 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: wrap or a scoop for other foods. Um sometimes used 231 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: as a substitute for for grain products like breads or rice. 232 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: And again, you know, depending on the variety, a might 233 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: be more of like a like a textural element of 234 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: a dish meant to allow rich or bright flavors or 235 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: creamy or crumbly textures to to really pop. Or yeah, 236 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: they might add a distinct flavor of their own. Mm hmm, yeah, yeah, 237 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: that was the scoop thing is another side quest I 238 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: most went on, because you can buy like at stores, 239 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: you can buy let us wraps or let us cups. Now, 240 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: just that whole blowing up that I did not go 241 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: on that question, but we'll talk about it a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 242 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: There there are some dishes, like some of my my 243 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: favorite like Thaie salads often come with that kind of 244 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: let us scoop situation and I'm like, oh, thank you, yes, yes, 245 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: so good. Which, by the way, I had Tai papaya 246 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: green salads. Yeah, think it was so good. I thought 247 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: you would like it. Oh, I saw out a menu 248 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: as I said, I think, I said in that episode, 249 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: my little brother is vegetarian, and that means we eat 250 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: a lot of Thai food when he comes to visit. 251 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: And when he came to visit, on the menu, I 252 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: was like, nope, I'm getting it. And it was so good. 253 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, but it did have like the salad scoop 254 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: a salad like a leaf scoop situation. It was very good. Well, uh, 255 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: speaking of I guess what about the nutrition by itself, 256 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: Lettuce is pretty good for you, blocks of fiber, spread 257 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: of vitamins and minerals and good stuff in general. As 258 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: with most vegetables. Um, the deeper the color um, the 259 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: more nutrients it's going to contain. Yeah. Uh, you know 260 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: it'll help fill you up, I'd say, to keep keep 261 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: you going parent with a with protein a little bit 262 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: of fat, which is also how it's sort of delicious. 263 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: So yeah, uh, I will say. Extracts of lettuce leaves 264 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: and seeds have long been used as a sleep aid 265 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: and for pain relief in folk medicines in various places 266 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: around the world. UM and research has showed that that 267 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: lettuces do actually contain a couple of compounds that can 268 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: help with those things. Fresh lettuce does not contain enough 269 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 1: to really make a difference. Um. More on that in 270 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: the timeline. Uh again save her motto. Before ingesting medicinal 271 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: qualities of anything, you should consult with a medical professional 272 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: who is not US, because bodies are complicated and more 273 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: research is required. Mm hmm. Indeed, well, we do have 274 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: some numbers for you. We do. Yes, I would say 275 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: the first one goes back to our points made at 276 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: the top. There are hundreds of types of lettuce. Yep, yep, yep. 277 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: California grows about the US is let us corrupt. Um, 278 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: you're the US sala consumption was twenty five point eight 279 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: pounds per person. Yeah. That same year, US lettuce production 280 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 1: was valued at one point nine billion dollars. I'm trying 281 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: to think of, like what like a pound of salad 282 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: really makes like I feel like that trey I took 283 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: home from the party might have been in and that's all. Oh, 284 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: that's that's multiple pounds of salad in there, I promise, 285 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 1: like like bait based on my like salad bar I mean, 286 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: especially once you get into the other vegetables in the dressing. Yeah, 287 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:35,919 Speaker 1: it was cheese in there. It's salad anyway. There have 288 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: been several lettuce freecalls in recent years. Yeah, because lettuces 289 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 1: are almost always eaten uncooked. There is more of a 290 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: danger zone for for pathogens to make their way from 291 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: you know, farm to table with lettuce than with a 292 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: lot of other vegetation. Yeah. Yeah, I feel like that's 293 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 1: kind of a source of the butt of a lot 294 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: of jokes. Um m m. But James Beard once said, 295 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: in defense of lettuce, um many people damn it. But 296 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: it adds good flavor and a wonderfully crisp texture to 297 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: a salad. It's true. That's true. It's true. I mean, 298 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: I think, let us there's a lot of factors going 299 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: into weather or not a lettus is gonna taste good. 300 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: I've had some bad lettuce in my day, but I've 301 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: had some excellent les. Yeah. My like, my like platonic 302 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: ideal of a lettuce is so nice. Yeah m hm, 303 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: Well people have, I would say, generally love to let 304 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: us through a lot of history. Actually, Yeah, yeah, and 305 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: we are going to get into that history section as 306 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: soon as we get back from a quick break for 307 00:19:50,720 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsors, and we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, 308 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: thank you, so Yes. Let us has been around a long, 309 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: long time. Um. Since at least four thousand BC, people 310 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: have been developing new types of lettuce, though there is 311 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: some confusion around it because a lot of similar plants 312 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: were referred to as lettuce throughout history. UM. So the 313 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 1: early timeline on this one is a bit all over 314 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: the place, but here we go. UM. The first known 315 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: cultivated lettuce originated in the Mediterranean. UM. The ancient Greeks 316 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: were probably the first one of the first at least 317 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: to cultivate it, and the ancient Romans followed suits. And 318 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: the ancient Romans believed that eating it after a meal 319 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: and before dessert would help them sleep, which I think 320 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: I talked about in that Sabbath episode. But that's still 321 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: a belief, uh in in some some cultures, or at 322 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: least when I was like learning French, that was in 323 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: my friend Yeah, yeah, for for sure. Like, I find 324 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 1: it super interesting the divide between people who think that 325 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: salad is a first course and salad being like a 326 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: not a final course but next to final. Yeah, right, 327 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: as like digestional aide specifically, yeah, are helping you sleep? Um. 328 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: As early as the first century CE, well off Romans 329 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: were eating salads that involved lettuce. And yeah, I mean 330 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 1: we didn't really say it, but lettuce is usually involved 331 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: in salad, and salad is possibly an even trickier term 332 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: than list. But yeah, the ancient Egyptians, you'd let us 333 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: as somewhat as a fertility aid because of the kind 334 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: of phallic shape of it and the milky liquid that 335 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: it produced. Okay, yeah, again it is related to dandelions. Um, 336 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 1: most lettuces that have been bred these days have not 337 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: a lot of that going on, but but right, yeah, 338 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: it's definitely got gotta gotta sap to it. Mm hmm. 339 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: The seeds from the flowers were also pressed into cooking oil. 340 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: One of the oldest known varieties romane was feature on 341 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: ancient Egyptian bass reliefs. Um and for a long time 342 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: most girl and lettuces were used um more as a 343 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: medicinal thing for or for the oil from the seeds 344 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 1: as supposed to like eating the leaves, or for the 345 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:20,400 Speaker 1: milky liquid secretion. Sixth century BC Persian kings were said 346 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: to have enjoyed lettuce, so it was around people were 347 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: eating it, but there. Yeah, the record is a bit murky. 348 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: So the next thing I have on here is an 349 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: until sixty two, which is when let us started showing 350 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: up on English tables as something of a luxury item. Uh, 351 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: those that could afford it quickly planted it in their gardens, 352 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 1: viewing it as a cooling agent in terms of the humors, 353 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: which is why I kind of recommended that episode. Yeah, 354 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: and because of this, many recommended eating it with something acidic. Um. Yeah, 355 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: I mean it's also tasty, but share, Yeah, it is. 356 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: That's kind of how at least for me, that's how 357 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: I usually eat it. Um. Let Us has been grown 358 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: in the Americas since colonial times. In the century, some 359 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: people used fresh lettuce as an aphrodisiac. So this is 360 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: one of the very very few things I've seen that 361 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: was once listed as killing your sex drive. Ever, I 362 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 1: found the original, well, I found what I used as 363 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: the source in that episode, which I think was salad. Um. Yeah, 364 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: and I'm not sure it might have been a joke. 365 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: I don't understand old timing humor, Laura, I can't tell, 366 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: but it was implying that it would kill your sex drive. 367 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 1: Maybe someone who understands old humor better can help me out. 368 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 1: Can you can you give us? Can you give us? 369 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: Like the quote like where like do you do you have? It? Is? It? 370 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: Is it around? So a friend of ours, Alex, who's 371 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: producer on a bunch of shows, um, has been on 372 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: this show, used to edit the show. He gave me 373 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: this joke book and there is a joke about let 374 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: us in it from the fourteenth century. I think, Um, 375 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if it's the same one I used 376 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,640 Speaker 1: in the episode, but because it's in a joke book, 377 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, maybe I'm just the whole thing. Yeah, 378 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: uh well okay, we will look into this further. Yes, 379 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: it's very important. It is very important because right it 380 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,120 Speaker 1: was like literally the only thing we had ever seen 381 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: referred to as not an aphrodisiac. So yes, yes, and 382 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: somebody did right in with a counter example. I remember 383 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: a listener wrote in and was like, well, I've seen 384 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,199 Speaker 1: references that it is, which I think maybe I think 385 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: can be both, but perhaps yeah, I just didn't understand 386 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: the joke. Who knows. We'll get to the bottom. Well, 387 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: very important to US UM, and at the time it 388 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: was used for a whole host of medicinal purposes. UM. 389 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:07,479 Speaker 1: By the early nineteenth century, there were fifteen recognized varieties 390 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: of lettuce in Europe, and in the US people were 391 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: making salads using romane by that time. But okay, let's 392 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: talk about iceberg lettuce, which I think is what comes 393 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,679 Speaker 1: to mind for many Americans. I would love for listeners 394 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: from other countries straight in, but for many Americans when 395 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: you use this somewhat generic term lettuce, I think a 396 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: lot of US are like iceberg lettuce um in many ways. 397 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: The year long usage of iceberg lettuce and the US 398 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: was the product of technologies developed for World War Two, 399 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: also World War One, but much more World War two UM, 400 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: things like new ways of pest and weed control, fertilizer production, automation, 401 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: genetic manipulation, and centralized farms and factories. So it's like 402 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: one of those things where we could have just talked 403 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:59,400 Speaker 1: about this UM, which is so cool to me. Oh yeah, 404 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:04,199 Speaker 1: oh yeah, yes. So iceberg lettus went into commercial production 405 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: in the nineteen forties, though it had been grown before 406 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: then in the US, and it was the mostly eaten 407 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: vegetable in the US. By the nineteen fifties, it was 408 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: the lettuce. It was, that's what you were talking about. 409 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: Most of it came from California where it was growing 410 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: year round. By the nineteen fifties, the transportation of chilled 411 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: iceberg lettuce improved with vacuum technology, so that helped UM. 412 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: It was more effective. This this new technology was more 413 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: effective than ice and it was better at preventing spoiling 414 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,959 Speaker 1: ads for cellophane wrap that was frequently used with iceberg lettuce. 415 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: Um from the same decade promised cleanliness and freshness. That's 416 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: something else I would love to look into more um. 417 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: But behind all of this wave of Mexican immigrants were 418 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: propping up a lot of the growing and harvesting of 419 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: this product, and most were not protected under labor laws, 420 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: and it was heavy, physical and laborious work and for 421 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: being a much bemoaned vegetable, which maybe maybe I'm projecting, 422 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: but that's been my experience that iceberg lettuce is kind 423 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: of like the sad letters. Sure right, It's always like, 424 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: oh man, like I'm I paid for the salad and 425 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: it's got iceberg in it? What are we even doing here? 426 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: Kind of situation? Yeah, right, which again, there are factors, Intigo. 427 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: I've had bad Iceberg lettuce, but there can be great 428 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: iceberg lattus. Absolute yes. But as early as nineteen seventy 429 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: nine people were nicknaming it the polyester of salad. No, yeah, 430 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: like burn damn. Iceberg lettuce has had a tenacious staying 431 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: power despite that, though. Um, lately, I've seen a real 432 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: resurgence of a wedge salads, which is if you haven't 433 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: seen it, but I bet you have. But basically a 434 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: wedge of iceberg, sometimes charred with blue cheese, bacon crumbles, tomatoes, 435 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: and other seasonings. Um. And this salad is actually credited 436 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 1: with the so called Iceberg comeback in the US, because 437 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: we've got to have a name for all these things 438 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: radio of course. Uh. And this is partly because America's 439 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: largest producer of Iceberg lettuce, Tenny Mura, and anty I 440 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: tried to look up the pronunciation, but I couldn't find it, 441 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: So I hope that's correct. We're close, which is out 442 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: of California, and they were looking to boost Iceberg's very 443 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: soured reputation. So the story goes that they decided the 444 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: flavor wasn't something they should so much be leaning on. 445 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 1: So they ran with nostalgia, especially nostalgia around steaks, sports 446 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: and fathers. And if you're like me and you're like what, 447 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: it's because it used to be a big item on 448 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: steakhouse menus in the nineteen fifties. So here's a press 449 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: release from them, and this was from like the early 450 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: two thousands. I believe Mother Day has strawberries, Thanksgiving has salary, 451 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: but historically no holiday has been associated with Iceberg lettuce. 452 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,959 Speaker 1: What better product to claim ownership of Father's Day than 453 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: the cornerstone salad of steakhouse menus? Yeah, I love that. 454 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: One better product to claim ownership of Father's Day? Oh man? 455 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: Um well, big companies got involved, like Walmart. They advertise 456 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: the whole thing and it works, though perhaps not because 457 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: of the whole Father's Day aspects. A good wedge salad 458 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: is good. I mean it's just delightful. Yeah mm hmm, 459 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: but still darker leafier greens have seen a bigger boost 460 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 1: in recent years compared to the fall and bounce back 461 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: of Iceberg considering what it was was. Yeah, I I 462 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: will say that, um that a that a wedge salad 463 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: is if it's on the menu at at like a 464 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: like a dad bar. Like it, like a good solid 465 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: dad bar. That's what I'm ordering. I'm excited about it. 466 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 1: It's one of those items where I'm always kind of like, yeah, sure, 467 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: and then I get it. I'm like, oh yeah, if 468 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: it's a good one, it can be so aces Yes, absolutely. Um. 469 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: Here's another rabbit hole for the episode lettuce bowls, which 470 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,719 Speaker 1: are bowls that are shaped like lettuce, not made of lettuce. 471 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: As we were talking about ceramic or plastic bowl that 472 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: a glass I suppose that right, that looks like ahead 473 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: of lettuce. Yes. I love these very specialty dish items 474 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: that really do. They rose to popularity during the nineteen 475 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 1: sixties in the US. You can find collectors bidding for them. 476 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it. I love it. Um. Also, 477 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:52,479 Speaker 1: you know we love space food. YEP. Astronauts tasted romaine 478 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: lettuce that was planted, grown, and harvested entirely on the 479 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: International Space Station. I believe we talked about that in 480 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: our Space Food episode thinks. So yeah, we've talked about 481 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: it in some episode before. But they served it with 482 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 1: oil and vinegar and it was allegedly a big hit. 483 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, yes, So so lettuce was the first 484 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: food grown and eaten entirely in space. Uh. Specifically, they 485 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: grew a red cultivar of romaine called out redgis out 486 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: out redgis. Yeah I'm saying that right, Yeah, I love it. Um. 487 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: They were testing all kinds of things about how it 488 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: grew and the nutrients that were produced in it and 489 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: the microbial action involved. Um, Like there were control samples 490 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: planted here on Earth that was an entire thing. Um. 491 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 1: And furthermore, UM researchers ongoing there's talk about genetically engineering 492 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: space plants like lettuces, to contain medicines that human would 493 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 1: need continual supplies of during long journeys. Um, like, for example, 494 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 1: something to protect against bone density loss in micro Ah, 495 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: we we need to do an update on space food 496 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: for sure. But yeah, so so cool. Um. And and 497 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: also like it really did go over well. I mean, 498 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 1: like imagine imagine having nothing but like the equivalent of 499 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: like microwave or canned food for a month, and then 500 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: someone hands you a fresh lettuce leaf and it's just 501 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: like oh, thank you, yes, yes, Like I this is 502 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: not the same experience at all. But I have friends 503 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: who were helping me through a rough time, and very 504 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: much appreciative heart goes out to them. They kept buying 505 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 1: me all these like really heavy foods, and I just 506 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 1: remember breaking down one day and being like, I just 507 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 1: want a salad. I need a salad. I need like 508 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: a vegetable. I love all the things that I need 509 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: a megable. Yes, So I don't totally understand people in space, 510 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: but I kind I kind of get Yeah. I think 511 00:32:57,640 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 1: I think most of us have had. I mean I 512 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: I find that to be a very human experience of 513 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: like this is great and um uh. Hashtag lettuce water 514 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: trended on TikTok with over twelve million views. Um and 515 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: this is what I said I was going to come 516 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: back to from the nutrition section because this was a 517 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,960 Speaker 1: thing where people were making tea or to say, and 518 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: I suppose with a with fresh lettuce leaves as a 519 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: as a sleep aid. And okay, there again, there has 520 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: been research into compounds and lettuces that do act as 521 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: sedatives and pain relievers, but they have only been studied 522 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: as extracts. You're probably not getting enough from fresh leaves 523 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: in whatever format, whether it's a salad or what I 524 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: imagine is not a very good tea. Yeah, it doesn't 525 00:33:55,080 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: sound great and salad, right, right, leaves are charred leaves 526 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: one thing? Yeah, leaves. I mean I would like I was, 527 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:09,359 Speaker 1: I was trying to I was trying to think about 528 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: it and like like a like a wilted salad um 529 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: or maybe like like even like if you get one 530 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: of those good Thaie salads and there's like a layer 531 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: of romaine chopped on the bottom like kind of to 532 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: keep everything else, uh fresh, um, but it's just been 533 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:32,919 Speaker 1: steeping and all of that really good stuff. Like that's delicious, right, yeah, 534 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're going to do there are ways 535 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: it can work, but they're very specific ways, right. Just 536 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: making tea out of lettuce leaves, isn't I don't. I 537 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: mean it's um probably a fine placebo um. So so 538 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: if someone else does that, just don't tell them. Just 539 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: don't tell them. If it works for them, that's great. 540 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: Just don't have make money listening and like throwing their 541 00:34:55,640 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: lettuce at the screen. Oh I'm sorry. Recording the facts. 542 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:07,520 Speaker 1: I love We've got these random TikTok facts in the episode. 543 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: I mean, listeners, let us know if you've had it. 544 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: It's good, it could be. I'm open to things, right, Yeah, 545 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,239 Speaker 1: I like the research, but I'm open to taste and 546 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: you know, try sure. Uh. And genetic research is ongoing, 547 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: very much ongoing. Um. A recent analysis looked into four 548 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: varieties of lettuce from over forty seven countries, and another 549 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 1: looked specifically at Iceberg lettuce and they created a full 550 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 1: genetic map of it. And it was one of those 551 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: things where it was both very very dense and I 552 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 1: couldn't get past the paywall and a lot of them, 553 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 1: but the title led me to believe that they isolated 554 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:53,879 Speaker 1: Iceberg to like one specific here. Yeah, concestry. Oh that's 555 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: so fun. Yeah. I never thought i'd say this, but 556 00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:59,359 Speaker 1: I really think that we need to do a whole 557 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:06,439 Speaker 1: episode on Iceberg lettuce. Agreed, Agreed. I love how many 558 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: people looked into it. We're like, we've got to get 559 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 1: to get to the bottom of this. That's that's our 560 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: that's our people, that's that's oh yeah, absolutely yes, and 561 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 1: you are also right people. Um, we've gotten a lot 562 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,240 Speaker 1: of great listener mail recently. I cannot wait to share. 563 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:28,880 Speaker 1: But if you have any about lettuces, Iceberg lettuce or otherwise, 564 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: we would love to hear from you. Yeah, yeah, if 565 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 1: you have some photos of lettuce bowls, yeah, I got 566 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: so excited about that. Totally um. But but yes, we 567 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: do already have some listener mail for you, and we 568 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:42,920 Speaker 1: are going to get into that as soon as we 569 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 1: get back from one more quick break for a word 570 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, and we're back. Thank you sponsoring, Yes, 571 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: thank you, We're back with oh salad, no scrambled eggs. 572 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 1: I did get this stuff to make a salad on 573 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 1: my recent grocery cycle run. Good for you, very good 574 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: for you about it? Uh, Tracy wrote, I'm currently listening 575 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: to the artichoke episode and had to write in, not 576 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: only are they one of my favorite foods tried dipping 577 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: the leaves in Hollandais, but you missed one of the 578 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: most epic food mascots ever. Areadie. The artichoke is the 579 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 1: official mascot of Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. Here is 580 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:44,600 Speaker 1: a Legit dot E d U article about him. I 581 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: guess you can schedule him for private events. I have 582 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: no idea the origins, but it is fun to see 583 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 1: already merch around the Phoenix area. I'm headed to Italy 584 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,280 Speaker 1: this coming spring and I'm excited to try Jerusalem artichokes. 585 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:01,360 Speaker 1: I'll report back also for the sake of heck and cuteness, 586 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 1: here's an update on my puppy Olive. First pick is 587 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:08,800 Speaker 1: her reluctant Halloween appearance as a cow girl. The second 588 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 1: from her puppy school graduation. Oh, it's so cute, and 589 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:22,279 Speaker 1: we have to do food mascots as an episode. But 590 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,760 Speaker 1: already the art of choke. I think super Producer Dylan 591 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: has bought already the artichoke to our attention before did 592 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:35,759 Speaker 1: not familiar. I I just googled and right, he's a 593 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:39,800 Speaker 1: very friendly looking mascot. I love. I love a friendly 594 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: looking sports mascot. I I like, I like friendly looking mascots, 595 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:48,160 Speaker 1: and I like scary looking ones from Afar. I don't 596 00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: want to be near. Honestly, they both frightened me. But 597 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:54,839 Speaker 1: because I know Super Producer Dylan is a big fan 598 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:56,719 Speaker 1: of like food mascots, and I know he's sent us 599 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 1: like the Raging Okrah one. And then I found after that, 600 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: I went on the hunt and found a list of 601 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:06,800 Speaker 1: like top ten scariest food mascots and it was delightful 602 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:09,839 Speaker 1: and terrifying, which is what I wanted. So all right, 603 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: all right, I'll put it on the schedule. Yes, yes, 604 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:24,240 Speaker 1: thank you. Um, that's wonderful, okay, Tina wrote Laurence comment 605 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:27,399 Speaker 1: about pop tarts resembling hand pies in the same way 606 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,520 Speaker 1: that lions are drawn by someone who has never seen 607 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:34,040 Speaker 1: a lion inspired this collaborative effort between my husband and 608 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 1: me and attached um is a like medieval era composition 609 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 1: of um of a dude holding a pop tart and 610 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:53,400 Speaker 1: and surrounded by these medieval era what are supposed to 611 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: be lions, um uh. And the and the meme caption 612 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: is we can has hand pies. Mmmm. It's beautiful. It 613 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:08,279 Speaker 1: should be in a museum. I laughed out loud so 614 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,120 Speaker 1: hard that I startled my cat. Um. I mean we 615 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:14,840 Speaker 1: should print this. I like, we need a like epic. 616 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: It's amazing. I love it. Oh you're also talented listeners, 617 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:29,799 Speaker 1: right heck yeah wow. Thank you to both of these 618 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:32,239 Speaker 1: listeners were writing in. If you would like to write 619 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: to us our emails, Hello favorite pot dot com. We 620 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:38,080 Speaker 1: are also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, 621 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,440 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Saber pod and we do hope to 622 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,120 Speaker 1: hear from you. Sabor is production of I Heart Radio. 623 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,480 Speaker 1: For more podcasts my Heart Radio, you can visit the 624 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:48,160 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen 625 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our superproducers 626 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,760 Speaker 1: Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, 627 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: and we hope that lots more good things are coming 628 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:55,919 Speaker 1: your way.