If we told you that I knew of a deliciously tender salad green with a mild, nutty flavor that isn't too fussy about where it's planted, would you be interested in trying it in your own garden? Maybe, we bet. Now, what if we sweetened the deal by mentioning that it laughs at weather in the 20s (subzero Celsius) and springs back into shape even after the hardest of hard frosts? "Now, this is getting interesting", you'd probably say. Well, this miracle green is not a joke or, worse, some freakish cross between a plant and a rare arctic fish. This green is mâche and it will quickly become one of your best friends if it isn't already.

Mâche already has a many international friends and travels under a number of different names. Anglophones often refer to it as Corn Salad and Lamb's Lettuce. In Germany, it's called Feldsalat (literally field salad) and Rapunzelsalat. Francophones call it Salade de Chanoine, Salade de Prêtre, and, my favorite of all, La Doucette which translates into "the little sweet one". Although most varieties of mâche are both small and slightly sweet, there's also a large-leaf version which is known to stand up better to the summer heat.

Planter's Guide:
Species name: Valerianella locusta
Days to Maturity: 45-60 days
When to Sow Outside:
Cold Climates: Plant in early spring as soon as the ground is workable for early summer harvest, or late summer for fall harvest, or late fall for spring harvest.
Mild Winter Climates: Plant in fall for winter harvest.
When to Sow Inside: 4-6 weeks before transplanting outside.
Seed Depth: 1/4" to 1/2" (.5-1cm)
Seed Spacing: Sow Heavily
Row Spacing: 1' (30cm)
Days to Emerge: 10 - 20
Thinning: When plants have 3 - 4 leaves, thin to 4" (8cm) apart

Eater's Guide:
The classic French preparation for mâche is Salade Lorette: a mix of young leaves, thinly sliced cold cooked beets, a julienned stalk of celery, and dressed with a vinaigrette. For a heartier salad, try mâche with real bacon bits and/or a chopped boiled egg.