Conference turris::cooks

 I've used the hand crank type before. It does a pretty good job of drying the
lettuce. Probably not as good as hand drying it, but certainly dry enough even
if you are going to be eating it right away.

    I use a lettuce spinner with a hand crank on top.  It's handy in
    several ways:
    
    - I use it to clean the lettuce.  I put the leaves in the perforated
    liner, put the liner in the outer container, then fill it with cold
    water.  I swoosh the leaves with my hand, and the dirt drops to the
    bottom.  I lift out the liner, and dump out the dirty water from the
    outer container.
    
    - I then spin the lettuce, shifting the leaves several times between
    spins.
    
    - I store the lettuce in the spinner, since it doesn't all get used
    right away.  It works pretty well for storage.  My Mom's cotton sacks
    work better, but I find the spinner more convenient, though bulky.
    
    Can't speak for the pull-cord type spinners, I've never used one. 
    The spinner is much efficient than shaking in a colander, and more
    convenient than a towel for washing large quantities.
    
    Laura

I've used both.  The only difference is in convenience.  The spinner was 
easier to hold in one hand and pull the cord with the other.  The crank I
have now is more difficult to hold while cranking, but with my big hands
I don't notice the difference.  

Either works better than using a towel.

Try one in the store.  Assemble it, and make it go thru the mothions.  As you
assemble it, and put it back, you'll get a feeling about how easy it will be
to take out and use from it's storage spot.

Why would you want to dry lettuce???  I keep mine in a tupperware container 
and the key to it is to rinse the lettuce under the water and then put on 
the platic corer.  The water drips to the bottom of the container and keeps
the lettuce crispy, crunchy.

Debbi

    Debbi,
    
    You're right on the money.  When I store the lettue in the spinner,
    there is always a little water left on the leaves.  It drips below the
    perforated liner into the main container, and keeps them nice and
    crisp.  If I dry the lettuce too thoroughly, it gets limp.  By the way,
    it sounds like you use iceberg.  I use romaine or green/redleaf.  You
    can't core them like an iceberg.
    
    What is Tupperware's answer to the lettuce spinner?  They certainly
    have good products.  I bring a salad for lunch each day in Tupperware.
    
    
    Laura

Usually, lettuce is dried before it is used in salad.  Otherwise you end 
up with a puddle of watery salad dressing at the bottom.  But you do need
humidity during storage.

    I use the crank style and love it.  I spin it approx. 85% dry, I place
    the lettuce in a large Tupperware bowl, fold a papertowel in half,
    place on top of the lettuce,cover and  burb the bowl and turn it upside
    down in the frig.
    
    My lettuce (leaf, romaine, etc. - don't do this to iceberg) lasts
    forever this way.  The towel absorbs the excess water but then
    maintains the humdity necessary to keep the lettuce crisp.
    
    I've been doing it this way for over 15 years and never has this
    failed.

RE: -2 
There is two ways to store your lettuce in tupperware.  They have the super
crisp it container.  With that break off the core (can be used for any type
of lettuce, not just iceburh), rinse, shake off excess water, then put in the 
crisper container.  The excess water will drip to bottom, through a strainer 
type core, and will stay there to keep the lettuce crisp.  The core is between
the lettuce and the water, so it doesn't go bad.  Also, you don't want to use
metal products against veggies since a chemical reaction makes the lettuce
turn brown quicker.  As I said before, your lettuce will stay fresh and crisp
for weeks!

The second method, which I use alot, is to use tupperware strainer/colander.
Make your whole salad in this.  If you have the kitchen work unit or plastic 
tupperware utensil set uses these verses the metal knives, to keep veggies
from browning.  When the whole salad is made put the flow-through seal on the
colander and rinse veggies, shaking container up and down.  Shut off the faucet
and then shake out the extra water from the colander.  Now, you want to put the
colander on the classic sheer 3-qt bowl, this will fit on top perfectly.  Then,
put a solid flat seal on the colander.  The excess water will drip from the 
colander into the bowl, keeping the salad crisp.  Your salad will last about 
a week with this method.

If you have any other questions let me know.  I've been doing this for 5 years
and know all kinds of little tricks.

Debbi

    I bought my wife one of those pull cord type spinners and she
    really loves it.

    If you don't have a salad spinner available, another thing you can do
    is to put the lettuce in a clean pillowcase.  Move outside and arm's
    length from everything near you, and just swing away.  People near you
    will get wet, but you won't.  It's great to do in the summer, just for
    the halibut....
    
    *Susan                         
    

    Of course, for the real insight into drying lettuce, watch "The
    adventures of Mr Bean" on HBO, starring Rowan Atkinson, star of
    BlackAdder et al.
    
    He has one delightful segment, where he sits at a park bench and starts
    to make his lunch, and ends up using a sock to dry his lettuce.
    
    q
    

    
   >> He has one delightful segment, where he sits at a park bench and starts
   >> to make his lunch, and ends up using a sock to dry his lettuce.
    
	A cunning plan.