Baby Iceberg lettuce
Estimated Inventory, 40 ct : 17.15
This item was last sold on : 02/09/25
Description/Taste
Baby Iceberg lettuce is small in size, averaging twelve centimeters in diameter and is round, about the size of a softball. The leaves are tightly bound, broadly shaped, thick-walled, and crisp with high water content. The outer leaves are typically light green, and the inner leaves range from pale yellow to a translucent white. Baby Iceberg lettuce is crunchy, tender, and juicy with a mild but concentrated, sweet flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Baby Iceberg lettuce is available year-round.
Current Facts
Baby Iceberg lettuce, botanically classified as Lactuca sativa, is a compact, petite variety that belongs to the Asteraceae family. Baby Iceberg lettuce evolved out of a need for Iceberg farmers to compete with pre-packaged lettuce mixes and newer baby varieties of darker, leafy greens. Developed for supermarkets by being packed in the field into cartons, immediately oxygen deprived, and vacuum cooled in cold rooms to remove field heat, Baby Iceberg lettuce is favored in the food industry for its compact size, long shelf life, and dense, cup-shaped leaves.
Nutritional Value
Baby Iceberg lettuce contains vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber.
Applications
Baby Iceberg lettuce is best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as braising and stir-frying. Its petite size makes it suitable for slicing and half and using the leaves as a cup or wrap. When used as a bowl, Baby Iceberg lettuce can hold cold cucumber soup, creamy dips, or contain a cocktail sauce with shrimp lined around the edge. The leaves can also be used as taco cups, burger buns, cups for chicken salad, or containers for Asian lettuce wraps. When cooked, Baby Iceberg lettuce can be lightly braised or chopped and sautéed into a stir-fry, used similarly to cabbage. Baby Iceberg lettuce pairs well with gorgonzola cheese, mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, rosemary, mint, parsley, poultry, beef, bacon, pork, shrimp, eggs, tofu, avocado, carrots, beets, tomatoes, and vinaigrettes. The baby heads will keep up to five days when stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. When sliced or torn, the leaves will keep up to one week when stored in a sealed container in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Baby Iceberg lettuce has increased in popularity in the United States as the number of baby lettuce varieties has become more mainstream since their introduction in the 1980s. As demand increased, Iceberg farmers began growing more compact varieties to compete for market share with the popular mache, red oak, and butter types. Baby Iceberg lettuce is favored by chefs as the heads can easily be prepped by slicing in half and form a sturdy bowl for dips and sauces. The heads can also be used whole producing little waste for the restaurant industry. Baby Iceberg lettuce is commonly used in restaurants as bowls for shrimp cocktail or as a crunchy, juicy counterpart to combat spicy flavors in Asian and Mexican meat dishes. Also known as the "wedge" in the famous wedge salad, one head can be split in half or quarters and drizzled with blue cheese dressing and bacon to become a satisfying and economically frugal first course.
Geography/History
Iceberg lettuce was developed from the French Crisphead lettuce known as Batavia by W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in 1894. It was originally named for its crunchy texture, but its namesake evolved over the next half-century to reflect its method of ice-covered shipments on the Trans Atlantic railroad cars. In the mid-20th century, Iceberg lettuce became a symbol of America's rapidly industrializing agricultural system when the Whirlpool Corporation developed controlled and modified atmospheres and packaging, giving Iceberg lettuce a greater shelf-life. This technological advance allowed for Iceberg lettuce to become one of the most important commercial lettuces worldwide. Today Baby Iceberg lettuce is widely available and can be found at supermarkets, farmers markets, and specialty grocers in North America, Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Stake Chophouse & Bar | Coronado CA | 619-522-0077 |
| Noble House Hotels & Resorts | San Diego CA | 619-276-4010 |
| Shorehouse Kitchen Carlsbad | Carlsbad CA | 858-663-9916 |
| Alila Marea Beach Resort | Encinitas CA | 805-539-9719 |
| Sycuan Casino | El Cajon CA | 619-445-6002 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (Banquets) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| Mission Bay Beach Club | San Diego CA | 858-201-7551 |
| Public House 131 | San Diego CA | 858-537-0890 |
| Gravity Heights Restaurant and Brewery | San Diego CA | 858-551-5105 |
| Tribute Pizza | San Diego CA | 858-220-0030 |
| Casa | San Diego CA | 619-581-3003 |
| Gravity Heights Mission Valley | San Diego CA | 619-384-5993 |
| Comma | San Diego CA | 619-802-9183 |
| Food by Chef Ty | Vista CA | 424-278-8626 |
| Humphrey's | San Diego CA | 619-224-3577 |
| Wolf In the Woods | San Diego CA | 619-851-7275 |
| Prey Brewing Company | Vista CA | 760-822-4226 |
| Miss B's Coconut Club | San Diego CA | 858-381-0855 |
| Tom Hams Light House | San Diego CA | 619-291-9110 |
| San Diego Yacht Club | San Diego CA | 619-758-6334 |
| Shorehouse Kitchen | La Jolla CA | 858-459-3300 |
| Mike Erlanson | San Diego CA | 619-453-7395 |
| Fort Oak | San Diego CA | 619-795-6901 |
| Davanti Enoteca Little Italy | San Diego CA | 619-237-9606 |
| The Pearl Hotel | San Diego CA | 877-732-7573 |
| Viejas Casino Grove Steakhouse | Alpine CA | 800-295-3172 |
| Barbarella La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-7373 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (20/20) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| SandBox Pizza | San Diego CA | 858-272-7263 |
| Pali Wine Company | San Diego CA | 310-893-0038 |
| Park Hyatt Aviara | Carlsbad CA | 760-448-1234 |
| The Glen at Scripps Ranch | San Diego CA | 858-444-8500 |
| Zeca Trading Co. | San Diego CA | 619-410-1576 |
| Barleymash | San Diego CA | |
| The Shores | La Jolla CA | 858-459-8271 |
| Inn at Rancho Santa Fe (Banquet) | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-381-8289 |
| Marriott Del Mar | San Diego CA | 858-369-6029 |
| Le Papagayo (Encinitas) | Encinitas CA | 760-944-8252 |
| Coast Catering | Escondido CA | 619-295-3173 |
| La Costa Resort & Spa Main Kitchen | Carlsbad CA | 760-930-7063 |
| Pamplemousse Grill | Solana Beach CA | 858-792-9090 |
| Kettner Exchange | San Diego CA | 909-915-9877 |
| Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering | San Diego CA | 619-436-7006 |
| The Guild Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-764-5108 |
| Monarch School (Nutrition Lab) | San Diego CA | 619-804-1766 |
| The Santaluz Club Inc - Main Dining | San Diego CA | 858-759-3150 |
| Counterpoint | San Diego CA | 619-564-6722 |
| Rancho Valencia | Del Mar CA | 858-756-1123 |
| Hamburger Hut | Encinitas CA | 760-230-1999 |
| Beaumont's | San Diego CA | 858-459-0474 |
| Marriott Marquis North Tower | San Diego CA | 619-234-1500 |
| Bali Hai Restaurant | San Diego CA | 619-222-1181 |
| Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-759-6063 |
| Continental Catering Inc | La Mesa CA | 907-738-9264 |
| Sheraton La Jolla | San Diego CA | 858-453-5500 |
| Vista Valley | Vista CA | 760-758-2800 |
| California Center for the Arts | Escondido CA | 760-839-4107 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Baby Iceberg lettuce. One
is easiest, three is harder.| My Cooking Hut |
|
Melon, Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Lettuce Salad |
| White on Rice Couple |
|
Bacon Lettuce Tomato (BLT) Spring Roll |
| Sailu's Kitchen |
|
Mango Lettuce Salad |
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