Vegetables 101: What Are Bitter Greens?

So many vegetables, so many that are unfamiliar! This is one of an occasional series of posts, quick, easy and practical information about out-of-the-ordinary vegetables. Links to recipes!

On Christmas Eve, a cousin sidled up to me, "Hey, I wanna ask you something." Usually Denny's face carries a big, open smile but in spite of the champagne and frivolity surrounding us that afternoon, he seemed serious. I braced myself for some thorny personal matter. Instead, he queried, "What are bitter greens?"

I laughed out loud, half in relief, half in sudden understanding. Earlier in the day, he and his wife Jan had seen a recipe that called for bitter greens and wanted to know what they were and where to buy them. "We'll ask Alanna," they agreed. "She'll know." And no doubt, the term "bitter greens" is one tossed off by food writers and passionate food people who presume we all speak the same language. (Remember the time when someone was searching grocery shelves for "tepid water"? It's another good story, see my recipe for Acorn Squash with Quinoa & Cherries on Kitchen Parade. But I digress.)

First, let's remind ourselves that bitter is one our our five basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and the elusive savory / umami. That taste of bitterness appears in many favorite foods: think chocolate, coffee, marmalade, citrus zest and olives, even the quinine in the tonic water for gin and tonics.
Keep Reading ->>>