ווי צו קלייַבן די רעכט וואָטערקרעס?

There are quite a few varieties of watercress. Each of the species differs in the shape of the leaves and some flavor characteristics. You can buy watercress in stores or outlets. In the second case, it is important to pay special attention to the purity of the leaves. Dust not only settles on their surface, but is also absorbed. This can change the taste of the salad and make eating it dangerous.

Traditionally, watercress is divided into three categories:

• sowing watercress (the leaves are large, and the species belongs to the early ripening varieties);
• curly watercress (leaves are “torn”, and the species can be mid-ripening or early ripening);
• whole-leaved watercress (the leaves are the largest, and the varieties are mostly late-ripening).

Watercress, regardless of the variety, most often has a green leaf color. For some species, a yellowish or bluish tint is acceptable. It is more difficult to choose a salad with yellow-green leaves. Visually, you may get the impression that the leaves began to wilt or they did not have enough light when growing.

How to choose a watercress

The quality of the watercress is assessed in three stages. First, the leaves are examined visually, then they must be checked by touch and try to smell the scent. Watercress can be sold in packages, but if it is possible to buy leaves without them, then it is better to give preference to the second option.

What kind of watercress to buy:

• the leaves of the watercress should be firm and juicy (this is noticeable, visually, but for confidence it is better to check the density of the leaves by touch);
• the color of the watercress is most often uniform (the exception is yellow-green and green-bluish varieties);
• there should be no mechanical damage or traces of insect activity on the leaves of the watercress (any breaks in the leaves or holes on their surface are considered a defect);
• watercress leaves should be clean (they should not be wet or sticky to the touch, and there should not be even a minimal amount of dirt on them);
• if the watercress is packed, then the integrity of the container and the presence of condensation in it must be checked with special attention (moisture in any amount accelerates the process of leaf decay);
• the color of the watercress leaves is always rich and bright, but it should not look unnatural;
• watercress can be sold as leaves, packed in containers or bags, or in pots;
• if it is possible to buy watercress in pots (with roots and soil), then it is better to give preference to this option.

Which watercress you shouldn’t buy:

• if dirt is noticeable on the surface of the watercress, traces of insect damage, leaves are torn or absent in large quantities, then the purchase must be abandoned;
• sticky or wet bloom on the surface of the leaves of the watercress indicates the use of chemicals during cultivation (sometimes the watercress is treated with special compositions so that the leaves appear visually fresh for the maximum time);
• you should not buy watercress if the leaves are too shiny (the use of chemicals in this case is obvious, and the juiciness of the salad can be reduced despite the elastic appearance);
• it is not recommended to buy watercress leaves if they begin to wilt or dry out (there will be a minimum amount of juice in such leaves, they will be rough and tough, and their presence will spoil the taste of any dish);
• if the watercress is sold as a whole plant, and yellowed, rotten or dried parts are visible among its leaves, then it is better to refuse to buy such a salad (rotten leaves can spoil the taste characteristics of fresh, at first glance, specimens);
• if there are growths on the surface of the watercress leaves, spots of unknown origin or other dubious defects, then you should not buy it.

Watercress is available all year round. However, it is believed that it is best to purchase lettuce leaves from April to autumn. In this case, there is a big guarantee of buying watercress grown without chemicals and naturally ripened.