Kovacs Family Heirloom

Large, beautiful crisphead lettuce. Plants are green with highly toothed leaf margins. Forms moderately solid, uniform heads. Very crisp and juicy leaves. Used by donor in soups. Plants reached 8-10" tall and 16-18" wide in 2016 planting at Heritage Farm. Average bolting resistance. White seed. James Kovacs of Fisherville, Kentucky has been growing and saving seed from this family heirloom lettuce since about 1985. His father, Joseph Kovacs, began growing the lettuce in 1944. Joseph acquired the variety from his father, John Kovacs. John settled in Pleasant Valley, PA after emigrating from Hungary in 1905 when he brought seed of the variety with him to the U.S. It's the main ingredient in a family soup recipe containing sautéed onion and celery in a brown roux, with water or chicken broth, milk or ½ and ½ , and salt and pepper. James Kovacs donated seeds to SSE in 2014. SSE Accession # 132359