Jo wants to know why romaine lettuce is bitter. Romaine lettuce tends to be more bitter at the darker end of the leaf. The closer you get to the heart, the more generally mild the taste. For that reason, it can sometimes help to remove a few outer leaves and use only the lighter leaves for salad. Fact is, romaine lettuce is *supposed* to be bitter. According to Chef/Nutritionist, Adrienne Matt, the bitter flavor is an excellent heart and blood tonic. Romaine is really high in vitamins K, A and C. It is also rich in folate (responsible for the regeneration of new cells and DNA) and maganese (which plays a role in metabolism, bone density, wound healing and works as an antioxidant). If you prefer a mild, almost sweet salad green, use Butterhead or Bibb lettuce instead. Generally, when selecting greens, try to find the type with the root systems still attached; it indicates freshness. While there isn’t any way to “fix” the bitter flavor, you may be able to play it down by avoiding vinegar based salad dressings. Caesar dressing is the perfect foil to the bitter nature of Romaine. I hope this answers your question and thanks for using ChefsLine.