Rocket - Salad

Also known as colewort, roquette, ruchetta, rucola, rucoli and rugula.

From the family Brassicaceae.

Grown as an edible and popular herb in Italy since Roman times, arugula was mentioned by various ancient Roman classical authors as an aphrodisiac, most famously in a poem long ascribed to the famous first century Roman poet Virgil, Moretum, which contains the line: "et Venerem revocans eruca morantem" ("and the rocket, which revives drowsy Venus [sexual desire]"), and in the Ars Amatoria of Ovid. Some writers assert that for this reason, during the Middle Ages, growing arugula was forbidden in monasteries. Nonetheless, the plant was listed in a decree by Charlemagne as among the 802 pot herbs suitable for growing in gardens.

Throughout the growing season, cut and come again.

Can be eaten raw in salads. Added as a garnish to a pizza at the end of baking. Can be chopped and added to pasta or sauces.