Keeping lettuce fresh

Although on occasion I have purchased lettuce in a bag, I prefer buying heads of red leaf, green leaf, Romaine or Boston lettuce and washing and storing it myself. The secret to keeping the lettuce fresh and crisp is to remove the core, wash the leaves and dry them thoroughly. I find that using a salad spinner dries the leaves the best. After the leaves have been spun dry, I wrap them in a piece of paper towel, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Lettuce and baby spinach cared for in this manner will remain fresh for several days and often for up to a week.