How peppery/bitter should arugula be?

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I sampled a leaf at our farmers market and it was almost inedible to me. I couldn't imagine eating an entire salad of it. The leaves were very big (8-10") and dark, dark green.

I only question this because this same farmer's Romaine lettuce was very, very dark green, not crunchy at all and also bitter. Very disappointed with that.

And...most of his mesculin salad mixture is bitter.

So...is it me or is it his greens? Does the composition of the garden dirt change the taste of a green?

 
Marilyn, it's getting a little hot to grow lettuce & arugula. I think heat is the likely culprit.

If there's milky bitter juice coming out the bottom of a head of lettuce, the leaves are apt to be bitter. We're at the end of the growing season here, I'm in mourning. Btw, I've been wondering if any of the fires are close to you?

 
Interesting. Could be the soil and too much light, but I wonder if he's using heritage varieties.

Many lettuces were originally bitter but the bitterness has been bred out of them or is controlled (such as by tying endive or chicory into tight heads to keep the inner leaves in the dark and therefore milder).

I think arugula is desirably peppery. The stuff I've eaten in Europe is far more peppery than North American supermarket arugula. But it shouldn't be almost inedible. The arugula I grow in my tiny garden has quite a spicy kick, and I soon learned not to add any pepper to the salad and to "dilute" the arugula with other, milder lettuces. But on a pizza or in a sandwich it's awesome, and it makes a mean pesto (with walnuts).

 
Definitely, the soil will change the flavour and growth patterns of the herbs and lettuce.

Shaun has a good idea not to pepper, since that's what arugula is all about. Maybe you should get used to it by just adding a bit at a time to salads. And that size leaf is just too big for me. I harvest it when it when the entire plant is about 8" tall.

The European variety (wild) is a lacier leaf and as Shaun says, more peppery. You may want to avoid that one but I think it unlikely that you'd find it anyway. (It is even more ambitious about self-seeding and it is coming up between the stones all over my backyard now.)

When summer starts scorching here, I plant my arugula in the shade and it's just fine.

I think what you got is just old. Don't give up on it; just look for a better farmer.

 
My second cutting of arugula had a couple of very hot leaves, they were bigger.

It will be 102-103 today and tomorrow so I think this may be the end of my first (and very addictive) arugula season.

 
45F w/sideways, driving rain. My little pansys are kneeling. In four weeks, next job is off SanDeigo

 
Stay safe Mar,

and be prepared to have to leave at a minutes notice. Have all your belongings that you want to save ready to go, including important papers, insurance policies, etc. Don't get caught unprepared. Keep us posted!

 
40 miles!! That is close!! Stock up on Claritan/tissues, etc. You may have some bad air heading

your way. Stay safe!
Barb

 
I'd love to have your summer weather. We are hitting 103 tomorrow and a steady climb to Tuesday

toping off at 106. Most folks here think that is still cool. Wait until it hits 110 and more!

 
I have found that the romaine at the Farmer's Market is wimpy. I really like the romaine hearts but

I like them stiff. They hold up so well to lemon vinaigrette. I planted a lettuce this year that the entire leaf is a very dark burgundy.
It is so yummy and beautiful in salads. I bought the plants at the nursery and they have done so well.

 
Thanks all! I guess I'm not as panicked because the last time, it was

5 miles away and they were evacuating the homes just four blocks south. The pitiful thing is, native Florida trees are fire-resistant, meaning they can take a lightening strike. In fact, it's good for them because those small fires clear out the undergrowth and stimulate the pine cones to germinate.

But now there are too many "trash trees" (non-indigenous) surrounding them that flame up and engluf the FL trees, raising the temperatures higher than the native trees can handle....and leaving nothing but 50' burnt out stumps.

We just need some good rains to go with all our sharks.

PS: Dawn and Barb, both are excellent suggestions. Thank you for reminding me not to get complacent.

 
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