Sara Waxman, OOnt, is an award-winning restaurant critic, best-selling cookbook…
Most lettuce consumed by Canadians comes from Mexico and California. The average lettuce has travelled an average of 3000 miles and has taken two weeks to get into our salad bowls. Enough! I can’t take it anymore! And I no longer need to.
Remember these words: Vertical Farming. I do not use the word “Best” lightly. But once Vision Greens lettuce passed my lips, all others paled in comparison. Just this spring, in Welland, Ontario, a few savvy locals founded Vision Greens. Indoors, utilizing the most meticulous, advanced, agricultural expertise, they grow certified non-GMO, pesticide-free leafy greens, cultivated and grown to yield the freshest and best tasting produce available today, and deliver it to grocers the day it is harvested. They have all become my favorites.
Crunchy Green Leaf Lettuce
This large leaf lettuce has a robust flavor that holds its shape in salads and a few leaves add bounce to my favorite tuna sandwich.
Living Genovese Basil
They tell me that this flavour cannot be found outside of Italy (except at Vision Greens farms). Sweet basil with hints of mint and clove while at the same time, peppery and spicy give it a unique taste. It certainly adds wow to a salad, and as a garnish, surprising interest to my summer cocktails.
Crispy Baby Romaine Lettuce
Deliciously crispy bite-sized baby Romaine lettuce, the smaller leaves of this baby romaine allow for the juicy succulent taste of the greens to be present in every bite. It is my favorite for a Caesar salad with a good grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Fancy Premium Lettuce Mix
Just add a vinaigrette to this mix of Romaine, Red Leaf, Oakleaf and Green Leaf lettuces, and you have a salad with mild, sweet and nutty flavours. I have also pureed this mix to add fresh taste to my vegetarian cream of broccoli soup.
Crunchy Red Leaf Lettuce
This mildly sweet, bitter and nutty flavour of the green, adds unique taste and crunch to a salad. And when I make wraps or sandwiches for a family picnic lunch, a leaf or two adds color and crunch.
Zesty Arugula
A peppery, nutty flavour makes this an excellent pairing for rich cheesy dishes like Mac and Cheese, and as a side salad with citrus vinaigrette. Arugula is the most versatile of greens, and I have used it with great success for Pesto. Hint: scatter a handful on your pizza just before serving.
For more information go to https://visiongreens.ca/
Sara Waxman, OOnt, is an award-winning restaurant critic, best-selling cookbook author, food and travel journalist and has eaten her way through much of the free world for four decades, while writing about it in books, newspapers and magazines. She is the Editor in Chief of DINE magazine.