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The Lettuce That’s Taking the Bay Area By Storm

No matter where you dine in the Bay Area, you’d be hard pressed to find a menu that did not have this particular lettuce gracing it.

Whether served cold and crisp in a salad or braised or grilled in a main dish, Little Gem lettuce is the new darling ingredient that chefs and diners just can’t seem to get enough of. Whether at Frances in San Francisco, Redd Wood in Yountville, Camino in Oakland or Mamacita in San Francisco, Little Gem is sure to be there front and center.

Who can blame chefs and diners for this obsession when Little Gem is such a perfect lettuce — a compact head ideal for serving one or two, with both soft and crisp leaves, and a sweet, mineral-y taste.

Learn how this fabulous heirloom hybrid of romaine and butter lettuces got its start in the Bay Area by reading my story in this month’s issue of Food Arts magazine.

More of My Recent Food Arts Stories: A Look at California’s Upcoming July 1 Ban on Foie Gras

And: The Transformation of the Michelin Three-Star Restaurant at Meadowood

And: The Making of Flour + Water’s Newest Project

And: The San Francisco Ritz-Carlton’s New Parallel 37

And: Honoring the Legendary Cecilia Chiang