Lettuce has plenty of names, but you only need to look at two things: the shape of the leaf, and how soft or firm it is.
Leaves with wavy edges are flame, and they lean crisp. Leaves with lobes like an oak leaf are oakleaf, and they lean soft. A frilly, ruffled, puffy head is frill, and sauce catches nicely in all those folds. Leaves that open out like a little cup are butter, which makes them very good for wrapping things.
Those are the four types we sell. We do not sell head lettuce or romaine. Red versus green is just a difference in color, and it does not mean a different flavor. The bite mostly depends on leaf shape and thickness.
Eight varieties, how do you eat each?
Our eight varieties split into red and green, with different leaf shapes and textures. Butter and oakleaf are softer, so they suit wrapping. Frill and flame are crisper, so they suit cold dishes and sandwiches. The table below puts all eight side by side.
| Variety | Look | Texture | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Flame Lettuce | Red, wavy edges | Leans crisp | Salads, sandwiches, burgers |
| Purple Oakleaf Lettuce | Purplish red, oak-leaf shape | Soft with some crunch | Salad base, plating, wraps |
| Red Butter Lettuce | Red, little cups | Tender | Wrapping minced pork or shrimp, mixing into rice |
| Red Frill Lettuce | Red, lots of ruffles | Leans crisp, holds sauce | Cold tossed dishes, salads, a bed under food |
| Green Frill Lettuce | Green, puffy | Refreshing | Salads, lunchboxes, quick stir-fries, soup |
| Green Flame Lettuce | Green, wavy edges | Leans crisp | Everyday salads, cold dishes, fillings |
| Green Oakleaf Lettuce | Green, oak-leaf shape | Leans soft | Salads, wrapping pork floss, grilled meat |
| Green Butter Lettuce | Green, tightly packed heart | Gentle | Wraps, eating raw, a light stir-fry |
| Mixed Red & Green Salad Box | Red and green mixed | Soft, firm and crisp together | Trying a few different ways to eat it |
Still can't decide?
Then get the mixed salad box and try a bit of each. That is quicker than reading ten articles. For wraps, pick butter or oakleaf. For cold tossed dishes, pick frill. For salads, flame or oakleaf both look good. Recipes are on recipes and storage.
Frequently asked questions
Do red and green lettuce taste very different?
You cannot go by color alone. The bite depends mostly on leaf shape and thickness, and two varieties of the same color can differ.
How is butter lettuce different from ordinary lettuce?
Butter types have softer leaves and a heart that forms a little cup, which suits wraps and eating raw. Loose-leaf types are usually firmer and suit dressings and sandwich fillings.
Do you sell romaine or head lettuce?
Not at the moment. Our varieties are loose-leaf, oakleaf, frill and butter types, and the product pages show what is currently available.