The growing season is ramping up, and you know what that means: spring mix! Each year around this time, we see our first delicious harvest of this delicious crop. The variety of fresh tastes and textures are welcome after a long and cold winter. But just what is spring mix? And where does it come from?

Believe it or not, spring mix is a relatively new creation. It originated in Provence, France in the early 70’s under the name ‘Mesclun.’ (Europeans still refer to it as such, as do many American chefs). Traditional blends consist of chervil, arugula, dandelion, and endive. The term comes from the Provencal, ‘mesclar’ which means ‘mixture’. Farmers around Nice would each bring their own unique blend to local farmer’s markets, where they would be sold to the public.

In North America, Mesclun first appeared at farm stands back in the early 1980s. Here, the mix is generally comprised of baby lettuces and herbs, including red and green oak leaf, romaine, frisee, tatsoi, box choy, arugula, spinach, mizuna, mustard, or more.

At Blue Moon Acres, we use romaine, kale, mizuna, mustards, and chards in our spring mix. It’s a delicate, flavorful, colorful, and dynamic blend that not only makes for a delicious salad, but also goes great with sandwiches and wraps.

But don’t take my word for it—swing by one of our markets today and try some for yourself!