This is the red leafed member of the lettuce family. Lettuces are the backbone of all salads. Red leaf are loose head lettuces that have a nutty, buttery flavor that go well with all types of blends. Lettuce is a cool weather plant that grows well till it really heats up. This causes the lettuces to bolt, and become quite bitter. Some of the better known Red Leaf Lettuces are Ruby, Brune d'Hiver', Roug d'Hiver', Red Sails and Rosy. They all have a nice rust to red color or are green with deep red tinges into to core.

For usage, plan on 6 to 8 servings per pound of well drained lettuce, approximately 74% per head of lettuce is yield. Cases come packed 12 or 24 heads per case.

Avoid lettuce with signs of decay, rust, seed stems, broken ribs, freezing injury or excessive dirt. All lettuces should be stored in a very cool environment-34-38 degrees, with cool mists to retain moisture.

One head of Red Leaf will serve 4 to 6 persons as a first course salad.

Here is a link to some lettuce information:

http://www.dole5aday.com/encyclopedia/lettuce/lettuce_types.html