As heat settles back into northwest Lower Michigan, the region's farms are offering the freshest of lettuces and other greens for lavishly large, cooling summer salads.

At farmers markets and some area stores, you'll find bags of pre-washed mixed baby greens and heads of red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, and Romaine. Try out unusual ingredients that add extra flavor, too, like peppery red mustard and smoky arugula.

With salad greens, freshness is critical for best flavor and texture. So don't settle for greens shipped thousands of miles and stored for days when you can feast on salad greens that farmers picked the day before or even the morning you bought them!

Did you know?

• Iceberg lettuce is the least-nutritious lettuce in existence, according to www.wholehealthmd.com , which provides well-regarded health and nutrition information, along with great recipes. Instead, eat darker leafy green vegetables for good sources of vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, dietary fiber, and some calcium. Romaine lettuce, for example, has seven to eight times as much beta-carotene, two to four times the calcium, and twice the amount of potassium as iceberg lettuce.
• Ancient Greek and Roman recipes show that lettuce has been grown for thousands of years. Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the New World, according the Web site www.foodreference.com .
• Salad greens should not be stored near fruits that produce ethylene gases – apples, for example – which cause the lettuce to spoil more quickly.
• Store lettuce in plastic bags to retain their moisture. After you've washed the leaves, store any extra in the bag with a paper towel to soak up excess water — dry lettuce is the trick to really great salads. If the lettuce isn't dry before you toss it with dressing, the dressing won't stick.

Find it!

• Many farms that say they sell “summer,” “garden,” or “a full line of” vegetables in the Michigan Land Use Institute's online guide to local farm foods grow at least some salad greens. And six farms specifically list lettuce. The Michigan Land Use Institute's online guide to local farm foods at www.LocalDifference.org , lists farms from Manistee County to the Mackinac Bridge. Press the “Search Now” button in the “Find a Farm!” box, click on “vegetables,” or “lettuce” and the county you're interested in, and then “Find It!” for a list of vegetable or lettuce growers in that county.

Try it!

• It's easy to toss your own salad. One simple, classic recipe is to toss a bowl of greens with three parts of olive oil to coat the leaves (then, the oil holds the salt, pepper, and other seasonings to the leaves when they're added later) and then with two parts vinegar in which you've mixed a little Dijon mustard. Just stick a knife in the mustard jar and put a dab on your salad spoon. Pour the vinegar into the spoon — try a balsamic or wine vinegar — and mix it up a bit before adding to the greens. Then, add salt, pepper and pinches of dried herbs or a handful of fresh herbs. Dried oregano is good. Need a better definition of “three parts, two parts?” If you're making a large salad for four or five people, try three spoonfuls of oil and two spoonfuls of vinegar using the wooden salad spoon that you use both for tossing and serving.
• Here's a more precise recipe for a mustard vinaigrette from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven: 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced; 2 tablespoons grainy prepared mustard, 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice, ½ cup apple juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Put all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake!
• Here's another from Vegetable Heaven. Orange Vinaigrette: 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, ½ cup orange juice, 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Put it in a jar and shake.
• Try the orange vinaigrette in a sweet-tasting salad. Just toss in a few handfuls of fresh peas and pitted sweet cherries, both of which are still in season locally, and crumble some soft goat, feta or blue cheese over the top. Add some arugula or red mustard for extra flavor.