Eating Green

Normally in January, I'd give just about anything to taste something green, crisp, raw and locally grown.  By then, the wonderful farmer's market in our small town is but a distant memory. And much of the produce to be had -- from faraway places -- looks stressed, anemic and tired from the long journey.  This winter, however, I'm thoroughly enjoying fresh lettuce that is aquaponically grown on a farm just a few miles down the road.  Each week, I get at least two heads of lush, green, broad leaf lettuce that is grown in water and is free of chemicals.  When I looked at my latest purchase today, I could hardly touch them for they were so beautiful. I wanted to keep the lettuce heads intact and just admire them for a bit -- except that I was really hungry for fresh greens.  In fact, the heads were so magnificent in their beauty that they each resembled the shape of bridal bouquets.  The lettuce leaves of each of the two heads blossomed out of a central whorl.  And the colors - oh, my.  One head was smooth and light spring-green and the other dark with burnished curly tips. Summer doesn't feel so far away thanks to this delicious winter treat.