General Information
Baby Red Romaine lettuce distinguishes itself from Green Romaine not only in color but texture and flavor. Baby Red Romaine leaves grow erectly and tightly to form an elongated spoon shape. The leaves have rich red wine and bronze tones while the inner ribs fade to a creamy yellow. Baby Red Romaine’s blanched heart becomes translucent white at its core. The outer leaves are tender and mild in contrast with the center leaves which are robustly crunchy and succulent. The flavor is milder than that of Green Romaine, a characteristic that is due to the leaves lacking the same levels of chlorophyll, whose presence creates bolder flavors in Green Romaine.
Red Romaine lettuce is the general name given to a wide variety of lettuces that are members of the daisy family, Compositae. Red Romaine lettuce varieties include Rouge d’Hiver, Cimmaron, Valentine and Flashy Troutback. Red Romaine lettuce contains the pigment, anthocyanin, which is responsible for the red in food plants. It may also be responsible for the more buttery texture found in red leafed lettuces. On a marketing note, consumers respond to Red lettuce varieties more positively than they do green, making Red Romaine lettuce a visually more appealing lettuce than its Green counterpart.
History
Romaine lettuce is named for the eternal city of Rome as it is believed to have originally been discovered by the Romans on the Aegean Island of Cos. It is documented as being the oldest known cultivated lettuce, having been grown for at least 5,000 years. As with the majority of lettuces, Red Romaine is a cool-season crop, thriving in rich organic soil and climates with warm days and cool nights. Anthocyanin concentrations in Red Romain lettuce are directly affected by annual or seasonal temperature patterns.
