I’m going on the assumption that your idea of lettuce is the much maligned Iceberg lettuce. In its defense I’m going to let you in on a little secret- Iceberg lettuce does what it was cultivated to do extremely well. It grows quickly and is easy to ship.

It imparts a pleasant crunchy texture to sandwiches and burgers while having a mild flavor that doesn’t distract from the main ingredients. As for salads, one of my very favorites is the classic steakhouse Wedge Salad. That consists of a wedge of ice cold Iceberg lettuce, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes and Bermuda onion generously finished with a bleu cheese or Roquefort Dressing. Simple in execution, yet with a complex flavor profile, this one is hard to beat.

There are other lettuces out there as well with more pronounced flavor and different textures. Try Boston Lettuce, sometimes called Bibb lettuce, for a buttery flavor and delicate texture or Romaine lettuce made into the king of salads, the Caesar Salad.

High end restaurants used to make quite a show of it. The server would wheel a cart to your table and make the dressing right in front of you, toss the Romaine with it along with house made croutons and a generous amount of shaved Parmesan cheese.

These days you can purchase bagged salad greens that include a mix of leafy vegetables and field greens that make lovely salads that are tasty and healthy.