Lettuce

Lettuce is a crisp leafy vegetable with tender green leaves that form loose heads or tight, compact spheres depending on type. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a clean watery snap, and it holds dressings without overpowering other ingredients. Common uses include fresh salads, layering in sandwiches and wraps, and cool garnishes; it is sold as whole heads, hearts, and prewashed salad mixes.\n\nDomesticated from wild lettuce in the Mediterranean, it spread through Europe and then worldwide with cool-season cultivation. It anchors salad traditions in Western cuisines and is common in wraps and tacos elsewhere. Modern production uses field harvests in temperate zones alongside year-round greenhouse and hydroponic systems.