[ilse]

hi everyone,

i am usually cooking just for me and have been getting tired of my heads of lettuce not lasting very long! i probably dont use them as fast as others since i am by myself, but i feel like it is such a waste when i have to throw part of it away! i have seen these plastic lettuce knives at walmart and bed bath and beyond and wonder what your thoughts are on them? i dont really understand how they manage to keep the lettuce from browning, but if they work, ill invest in one since it might help my lettuce last a day or two longer. any thoughts on these would be great!

thanks!
ilse

[phatch]

Are you tearing your lettuce or cutting it? Lettuce is best torn. Cutting, even with the junky plastic leads to browning.

[shel]

I've never heard of a lettuce knife. What will they think of next?!

My lettuce leaves never turn brown when cut with a regular knife. The needed leaves are pulled from the head and cut or chopped as needed, and the rest of the head goes back in the fridge.

shel

[Just Jim]

Lettuce knives are the culinary equivalent to those safety scissors you used in kindergarten.
I agree with those above, pull away only what you need, and either tear or cut with a sharp knife.
A dull knife is not your friend.

[bubbamom]

Ilse, I've had a problem w/ lettuce turning brown before it gets used also. Someone gave me one of the plastic lettuce knives. Don't bother, it doesn't seem to make any difference. What works for me is using leaf lettuce (as opposed to head lettuce) it seems to last longer and it's certainly easier to get the right amount thus avoiding the browing problem altogether.