Mache Greens

This cold tolerant green is tasty and nutty. Grown by Limestone Gardens.

What Is Mache?

Mache is a green that’s native to France, and like other French things, it’s not pronounced like it’s spelled. But it’s easy to say: “mache” rhymes with "squash." Mache is also known as “corn salad” (because it grows wild among cereal crops like corn) and “lamb’s lettuce” (presumably because it’s soft, cute, and grows in the spring).

Mache is cold tolerant, but it’s also a bit needy. The plant isn’t very productive, the season is short, and it takes more time to harvest than other greens because the plants are very low to the ground. That means each plant must be cut off right at the base rather than at a level height, as you might do with arugula or other lettuces.

Mache is tender with a sweet and slightly nutty flavor that makes it perfect for salads. Mix it with other flavorful leaves for some variety. It’s also good steamed or lightly cooked in omelets, but don’t step away from the stove: it cooks very quickly!

In spite of its delicate reputation and low profile, mache is a nutritional powerhouse. One cup (56g) provides 79% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A and 36% of vitamin C. It’s also a good source of iron and potassium.

Our mache comes from Limestone Gardens, where it grows under row covers near real-live lambs. If that’s not the perfect picture of spring, we don’t know what is!