©2009 Amuse-bouche for Two

Green Kitchen

We're yielding quite a bit of lettuce these days. Two varieties, Romaine and Oak Leaf. There is something to be said about coming home after a 9 to 5 job, changing out of business casual, and heading outside with knife and bowl in hand.

The leaves are quite beautiful and the taste even better. But before we even get to taste we have to wash each leaf carefully one by one (thanks to the bugs and lack of any chemical intervention), soak, then rinse once more checking each leaf again carefully before spinning. I don't remember there being as many little nuisances in

the past. Then again, I can't remember a year when we've had this much rain.

Since we eat salad every night, we're saving at least $5.00 a week or more in greens. And, it's no exaggeration when I say we eat salad every night. It is a staple, much like bread, wine, and pasta in our house. I can remember a time last summer when everything in our salad bowl came from our garden. Just knowing that makes me feel good and capable of so much more than putting in my hours in some cubicle farm every day.

So, do yourself a favor, if you've never planted a seed before, try it. It really isn't that hard. A little trial and error, and a whole lot of patience really does pay off. You don't need a plot of land, just a nice size planter, some soil, the seed of your choice, and a good dose of water and sunlight.