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From lettuce fields to opera stages – the brilliant journey of Helen Sherman

How does a young girl growing up on a lettuce farm in rural New South Wales, surrounded by the quiet rustle of leaves and the hum of daily farm life, go on to become such a powerful voice on the operatic scene? This is the unlikely beginning of Helen Sherman, the Australian-British mezzo-soprano who has taken the world of opera by storm. Sherman’s musical journey began at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where her extraordinary voice started to attract attention. It wasn't long before her ambition led her to the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the UK. There, she honed her craft, setting the stage for a remarkable career that would see her representing Australia at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition. Sherman's rise to operatic fame has been nothing short of meteoric. Her versatility and talent have seen her perform a wide range of roles across the globe. Recent highlights include Flora in La traviata at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera North. Her portrayal of Tamiri in Farnace with Pinchgut Opera and Dorabella in Così fan tutte at Teatru Manoel in Malta further cemented her reputation as a mezzo-soprano of extraordinary range and depth. One of Sherman’s standout performances was her interpretation of the title role in Carmen with the State Opera South Australia. Her embodiment of Carmen’s fiery spirit and complex emotions captivated audiences and critics alike. Equally compelling was her portrayal of Giulio Cesare with Bury Court Opera, a role that showcased her ability to navigate the demanding vocal and dramatic challenges of baroque opera. In 2024, Sherman’s calendar is as busy as ever, as she will be singing Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Mistress of the Novices in Suor Angelica for Opera Australia, roles that promise to highlight her versatility and emotional depth. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Over60 was lucky enough to be able to interview Sherman in the lead-up to her Sydney performances of <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a>: O60: How did you become an opera singer after growing up on a lettuce farm in rural NSW? “It was quite a journey. My father was an incredible piano accordionist (think Flight of the Bumblebee, Malagueña etc). In the 1970s his teaching studio in Bathurst peaked at about 40 accordion students, which I think is quite remarkable. After his father died, Dad stepped back from his teaching to take over the family farm, though he still plays to this day. “My mother is a music lover, and wanted her children to have the opportunity to explore creative outlets that she wasn't fortunate enough to explore in her youth, so my brother, sister and I all had lessons in piano accordion, piano, dancing, drama and singing. We were fortunate to live in a town that had many thriving arts organisations, such as the Dolly McKinnon School of Dance, Bathurst Eisteddfod Society and Mitchell Conservatorium of Music. “Bathurst's Carillon Theatrical Society (for which my dad's cousin, the late, great, Carole Eastment, was choreographer) afforded us the opportunity to be part of full-scale classic musical productions. I was also fortunate to attend MacKillop College, a local Catholic high school of humble proportions, that had a very passionate and resourceful music teacher, Mr David Eyles. Thanks to him, students like me were able to star in wittily re-written and orchestrated G&S productions. With such a plethora of opportunities at my feet, my love of the stage was pretty much pre-determined. “Upon graduating high school, aged seventeen, I moved to Sydney to take up a place at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where I completed a Bachelor of Music and a post graduate diploma in opera. At this stage, I wasn't really in love with opera, that came later, when I found myself covering third novice in OA's 2007 production of Suor Angelica. “During the last studio run of the show, mere metres away from me, star soprano Cheryl Barker was singing the final solo notes of the title role: ‘Madonna! Madonna! Salva me! Salva me!’, tears streaming down her face, and the most incredible voice soaring out; I had chills all over my body and in my soul, and I have loved opera ever since.” O60: You were based in London for years; how did you find the opera world overseas versus in Australia – in both your studies and performing? “I guess the main differences are that the UK scene is a bigger one with more companies and more music schools; a more international one, that students and professionals from around the world flock to, and one with – historically – more financial backing and patronage. However, the scene in the UK has suffered dramatically in the last few years, particularly with the effects of Brexit compounded by COVID, cost-of-living crisis and embarrassingly ignorant cuts made by the Arts Council. “Generally, abroad, there are many more opportunities for musicians, but many, many more musicians competing for them. It is an awe-inspiring thing to meet and work with musical idols like Roger Vignols, Julius Drake, Yvonne Kenny etcetera, to sing a piece of music in the venue in which it premiered or was composed for; to tread the same cobblestones that the likes of Mozart and Handel trod and to delight in the discovery that the shoes or trousers you're wearing in a production bear the name of the likes of Dame Sarah Connolly.” “However, I would say that there is plenty of exciting stuff going on in Australia and an optimism and openness in the Australian people, which is impactful on our industry and its creative output. “More needs to be done in our country to insure all children are given creative learning outlets for the benefit of their development, their communities and for the future of our industry.” O60: Why did you return to Sydney and how are you enjoying it? Any future plans to head back overseas? “After a health scare in 2022 that forced me to cancel all my work, my husband received a job offer to relocate to Sydney. It felt like the universe was opening a door for us, so we gladly walked through it, and onto a flight to Sydney in mid 2023. I have felt welcomed (back!) with open arms both personally and professionally and I have no imminent plans to return abroad, at this stage.” O60: You’ve appeared in many staged productions as well as concerts. What do you like about these two types of performances? “Concert performances are a chance to home in on the music and the words without worrying about physical action. Staged productions afford the performer the luxury of inhabiting and exploring a character, physically, right down to their shoes and petticoats. Both are wonderful ways of working and some works naturally lend themselves to one or the other – though, I think for opera, context is key, and can be a challenge to properly manufacture on the concert platform.” O60: Tell us about your two characters and how do you prepare for performing two roles in different operas in the same season? “I've been playing the role of Mistress of Novices in Suor Angelica and am currently preparing the role of Dorabella in Così fan Tutte. One is a senior nun and the other an excitable teenage girl, so they are rather disparate. “The big challenge is in the early days of learning and memorising the role. Once you have a grasp of the music, the libretto and who you are, it's about showing up and reacting to your world. Preparing disparate roles concurrently can be a vocal challenge, since tessitura and vocal gesture have a big impact on how one might approach a score. I like to keep in touch, daily, with technical exercises that encourage economy and flexibility in my voice, especially when I'm working on contrasting roles. Thankfully, the human voice is a very sensitive instrument and responds intuitively to intention and emotion, so developing the character arc and subtext helps a lot with that. O60: What should audiences be watching and/or listening out for Il Trittico versus in Così fan tutte? “There's so much to enjoy so let it wash over you in broad, beautiful, very human brushstrokes!! Or, if you love little details, in Il Trittico see if you can spot which singers appear in all three operas and watch out for Frugola's bag of strange objects in Il Tabarro. You'll learn a lot from the body language and small glances between characters in the world of Suor Angelica, and in Gianni Schicchi, well, I am told there is a very interesting door stop! “In Così fan Tutte, listen out for the way Mozart creates subtext for his characters; tiny details, like Dorabella needing to sing a third higher than Fiordiligi (because she is the competitive younger sister!) when emotionally fraught in some of their act one recitatives! Mozart is a genius of musical detail!” O60: Do you have any dream roles you’re yet to perform? “There are too many to list, but I adore the role of Octavian in der Rosenkavalier by Strauss (a role I have sung, but would love to revisit) and I would love to sing Ariodante by Händel.” --- <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;">Click here for more information on <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a>.

Music

One clever woman's lettuce hack

A popular Aussie TikTok user has shared a genius hack for overcoming the east coast’s ongoing lettuce shortage. With the price of fruit and veg still very high due to recent flooding, inflation and supply chain issues, user permacultureouttapoverty posted an easy alternative to spending and that is, to grow your own. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@permacultureouttapoverty/video/7116415378762272002" data-video-id="7116415378762272002"> <section><a title="@permacultureouttapoverty" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@permacultureouttapoverty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@permacultureouttapoverty</a> How to regrow a lettuce <a title="nswlettuceshortage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/nswlettuceshortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#nswlettuceshortage</a> <a title="lettuceshortage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lettuceshortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#lettuceshortage</a> <a title="lettuce" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lettuce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#lettuce</a> <a title="foodshortage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodshortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#foodshortage</a> <a title="food" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/food" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#food</a> <a title="regrow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/regrow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#regrow</a> <a title="propagation" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/propagation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#propagation</a> <a title="regrowlettuce" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/regrowlettuce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#regrowlettuce</a> <a title="regrowyourfood" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/regrowyourfood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#regrowyourfood</a> <a title="regrowveggies" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/regrowveggies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#regrowveggies</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Permaculture_outta_poverty" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7116415381975517954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Permaculture_outta_poverty</a></section> </blockquote> “Water propagation method, for people who don’t have access to soil or an outside garden space or [have] very little income to get started,” she wrote alongside the clip. However, the real struggle is finding a head of lettuce that has the roots attached with the young woman admitting she found hers 40km away from where she lives. Once she’d found it, the next steps were easy: She chopped the head off the cos lettuce, then put the roots and remaining bit of leaf in a jar of water. She then placed the jar of water on the window sill, removed the remaining leaves, and to ensure that only the roots were submerged, put a skewer through the top of the lettuce to stop it from falling into the water. I’ve already started to get some very small regrowth overnight, so [I’d] say a few days,” the woman wrote, asked how long it will take to grow a full head. “After I have my first regrowth, I’ll be planting it in soil.” The handy clip, which has been viewed 245,500 times, attracted hundreds of comments, with many users sharing their own experiences propagating vegetables. Images: TikTok

Food & Wine

From a series of recipes designed by Xali: Iceberg Lettuce with Miso Avocado Dressing

Xali is Australia’s first training, dietary and wellness program to cater to women going through biological changes with a focus on perimenopause and menopause. Created by Northern Rivers resident Naz de Bono, Xali is a daily personalised program that provides workouts, recipes, education and support to women based on the 4 pillars of Move, Eat, Learn & Connect. Xali creates recommendations for women bursting with energy but also provides options for the days when they want to pull back. Iceberg Lettuce with Miso Avocado Dressing This is one of my favourite salads as it is so easy and the miso avocado dressing is also perfect with grilled chicken or steamed vegetables. Serves: 1 Ingredients: ● ¼ whole iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges ● 3 whole radish, stems on, halved if desired ● ½ whole avocado, large, ripe ● ¾ tbsp miso paste, white ● 1 tsp maple syrup ● ½ tsp dijon mustard ● ⅛ cup parsley, flat leaf ● ⅛ tsp cracked white pepper ● ½ lemon, juiced ● ¼ cup water, to thin if required ● ½ tsp pink peppercorns, crushed, optional Method: 1. Arrange iceberg and radishes on a platter. 2. Put all remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. 3. Add more water as needed to thin to the consistency. 4. Spoon into a ramekin. Top with crushed pink peppercorns and serve. Image: Supplied

Food & Wine

With the current national lettuce shortage, cabbage has become the next best option. Here’s why:

There are many types of cabbage and lettuce. However, a lot of people particularly mistake green cabbage (the most common type of cabbage sold at the supermarket) for iceberg lettuce due to their similar appearances. Though green cabbage and iceberg lettuce may look alike, they have completely different nutritional profiles. Both cabbage and iceberg lettuce are low in calories and deliver minimal protein, fat, and carbs. Meanwhile, green cabbage is higher in most nutrients – except vitamin A. Cabbage is also higher in minerals than iceberg lettuce. It contains more calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manganese-benefits">manganese</a>. It also contains more fiber, a nutrient essential to digestive health Keep in mind that the table above compares only two varieties of cabbage and lettuce. Different types of lettuce and cabbage contain varying amounts of nutrients. Cabbage beats iceberg lettuce in fiber content and including either cabbage or various forms of leafy green lettuce in your diet can significantly boost your fiber intake. Both cabbage and iceberg lettuce are good sources of nutrients. However, cabbage contains significantly more vitamins and minerals than iceberg lettuce, including vitamins C and K, folate, and potassium. Green cabbage is packed with antioxidants, including polyphenol compounds and vitamin C. Antioxidants have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and help fight cellular damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals.. Iceberg lettuce contains antioxidants, cabbage and other lettuce varieties like red lettuces contain much higher amounts. Incorporating vitamin-, mineral-, and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants">antioxidant-rich foods</a> into your diet can help reduce your risk of many chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart and neurodegenerative diseases It should be noted that other varieties of lettuce, such as romaine lettuce and red leaf lettuce, are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, these lettuce varieties can contain higher amounts of certain nutrients than cabbage does. If you’re looking for the healthier option of the two, choose cabbage. Lettuce varieties such as red leaf lettuce and romaine are also good options. Cabbage, including green and red cabbage, is typically higher in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds than iceberg lettuce. However, keep in mind that cabbage has a different taste and texture than lettuce, so it might not work well in certain lettuce-based recipes. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Yes, $5 for lettuce is too much

The cost of living is on the rise. The recent <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/mar-2022#key-statistics">Consumer Price Index</a> (a measure of inflation of a standard basket of goods) revealed Australians’ grocery baskets are one of the biggest casualties. The latest data <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/mar-2022#key-statistics">tell us</a> the fruit and veg in our shopping baskets costs, on average, 6.7% more than this time last year. Some items rose by far more. A cucumber, for example, went from A$2.20 last year to A$3.70 this year. The <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/tip-of-the-iceberg-why-lettuce-could-get-even-more-pricey-20220509-p5ajos">cost of lettuce</a> has become a touchstone during the current election campaign. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports fruit and vegetable prices have gone up because supply chains were affected by the COVID pandemic (for example, border closures and loss of farm workers), floods, and international conflict (increasing fuel and transport costs). But takeaway foods only went up by <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/mar-2022#key-statistics">0.7%</a>. The ABS suggests the cost of takeaway foods did not increase as much because of government-funded subsidies and voucher programs in <a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/dine-discover-nsw">New South Wales</a> and <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-melbourne/melbourne-is-open/Pages/melbourne-money.aspx">Victoria</a>. The COVID pandemic has focused our attention on public health and government responses. But when it comes to building resilient food systems that support healthy and affordable diets for all – one of the <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/global-syndemic">most important</a> actions for public health – governments <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-020-00300-w">struggle to act</a>. <h2>Do healthy foods cost more than unhealthy options?</h2> There is some <a href="https://theconversation.com/myth-healthy-food-is-more-expensive-than-unhealthy-food-101213">debate</a> out there as to whether healthy foods cost more than unhealthy options. The verdict usually comes down to how you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5000873/">measure</a> what constitutes healthy food and who you talk to. Our <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/costing-recommended-healthy-and-current-unhealthy-diets-in-urban-and-inner-regional-areas-of-australia-using-remote-price-collection-methods/07D12CDAB7CE73E273E89674AAA40E99">assessments</a> consistently tell us one thing: healthy diets are not affordable for everyone. For people who receive low incomes, healthy diets make up about a quarter of their <a href="https://data.oecd.org/hha/household-disposable-income.htm">disposable income</a> (the money that comes into their household after taxes). <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/supermarket-statistics-2021">One in four Australians</a> say groceries are a big financial stress. <h2>The price of ‘brain food’</h2> We’ve monitored diet prices for many years and the implications of recent fresh food increases will continue to be heartbreaking for <a href="https://iht.deakin.edu.au/project/covid-19-social-policies-impacts-on-food-choice-and-food-system-experiences-among-low-income-households-in-australia/">everyday people</a>. During our research, one single mother living in regional Victoria told us: <blockquote> People look at cost first and foremost […] Bag of chips, $1.75, carrots, hummus and celery, $6 or $7. I know what I’m going to pick if I’m in a pinch, and it definitely ain’t the healthy choice. </blockquote> Another mother of two put the purchase of fresh fruit into context, saying: <blockquote> My little girl likes raspberries and blueberries. And I like her to have them, they’re brain food. But they range from $4 to $7 for a punnet. And that’s a huge portion of your weekly income. </blockquote> All the nutrition knowledge in the world won’t help guide healthy choices if people can’t afford healthy food. Supermarket specials can make unhealthy, ultra-processed foods and drinks look like good value for money. We’ve previously <a href="https://theconversation.com/supermarkets-put-junk-food-on-special-twice-as-often-as-healthy-food-and-thats-a-problem-121808">shown</a> unhealthy options are on special twice as much as healthy alternatives. This pattern of discounting can be particularly persuasive for people on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666319304520?via%3Dihub">low incomes</a>. Finally, making food takes time. Buying takeaway foods may save time – even though regular consumption can <a href="https://adc.bmj.com/content/103/5/431">cost us our health</a>. <h2>Making healthy diets affordable for everyone</h2> Our food system does not prioritise the health of people or the planet. While <a href="https://www.foodbank.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FB-HR20.pdf">lines for food banks are growing</a>, <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/fruit-and-vegetables-and-the-gst">discussions about removing the GST-exemption</a> on fresh fruit and vegetables have been brewing. As we face global food crises, our governments could be planning ways to keep healthy diets affordable for everyone – for example, by increasing <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/using-price-policies-to-promote-healthier-diets-2015">subsidies</a> to keep the prices of healthy foods down. In the Northern Territory, the Aboriginal-led Bagala Community Store has shown governments what’s possible by setting healthier supermarket pricing standards. When <a href="https://www.katherinetimes.com.au/story/7318121/store-trial-measure-to-assist-community-health/">more specials were put on fruit and veg</a>, consumption climbed by 100%. In New Zealand, the government <a href="https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/wellbeing-in-education/free-and-healthy-school-lunches/">provides healthy lunches</a> to kids at school to reduce food costs for families. Price is only half of the food affordability issue. As the cost of living rises, our incomes are spread thinner. Even though there has been talk about <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-sparks-political-storm-by-backing-wage-rise-to-match-inflation-20220510-p5ak48.html">lifting the minimum wage</a>, we remain far <a href="https://www.croakey.org/bridging-the-gap-in-food-security-and-inequity-a-call-for-action/">from addressing the root causes of health inequalities</a> as we head into this election. Healthy diets will only be affordable for all Australians if government income supports are <a href="https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/2020/8/Impact_of_Covid19_JobKeeper_and_Jobeeker_measures_on_Poverty_and_Financial_Stress_FINAL.pdf">lifted above the poverty line</a>. Our government income support rates (provided through JobSeeker) are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-50-boost-to-jobseeker-will-take-australias-payment-from-the-lowest-in-the-oecd-to-the-second-lowest-after-greece-155739">second lowest of high-income countries</a>. Research from the beginning of the pandemic showed for the first time, JobSeeker made <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7675258/">healthy diets affordable</a> for people on low incomes. But the payments were later rescinded and people were put back into poverty. With rising housing costs, it’s a wonder anyone who depends on JobSeeker (<a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/how-much-jobseeker-payment-you-can-get?context=51411">A$345.50/week for a single parent</a>) now can buy food let alone seek out a healthy diet. <h2>What’s next?</h2> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/79/10/1100/5999110">Governments and food industries</a> are not doing enough to make healthy diets affordable. The failure to respond to rising food prices, food insecurity, and intergenerational poverty is a missed opportunity. Spikes in our food prices are a stark illustration of how vulnerable our food system is. In the meantime, our team at Deakin University’s <a href="https://iht.deakin.edu.au/2022/04/dr-christina-zorbas-recognised-for-outstanding-contribution-to-public-health-research/">Institute for Health Transformation</a> will keep an eye on food prices and people’s lived experiences of them. We will keep calling for <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-its-not-just-a-lack-of-control-that-makes-australians-overweight-heres-whats-driving-our-unhealthy-food-habits-162512">appropriate policies</a> that prioritise our right to affordable healthy diets. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

How to get the most out of your ice-berg lettuce

An iceberg lettuce now costs an average of $4 (thanks a lot, inflation). Usually, the most basic of the lettuce family sells for $2. At double the price, you'll be wanting to get as much out of each of these as possible. This clever hack will see you doing just that. A woman named Suzy, who shares videos on TikTok, has clued everyone in via a new hack for preparing an iceberg lettuce before chopping it up for delicious and crispy salads. She captions the video: "Easiest way to take the core out". In the video we see Suzy unwrapping a lettuce from its plastic packaging. She then turns the lettuce upside down so the core is against the kitchen bench and then bangs the core onto the bench firmly. Once the outer leaves are removed, the iceberg lettuce is ready for chopping for delicious and crispy salads. The video has been viewed over 300,000 times with many thanking her for showing them this clever hack. Image: TikTok

Food & Wine

Mind-blowing lettuce hack to help you fall asleep in seconds

If you find yourself laying in bed at night unable to sleep, then you may want to pop the kettle on. But rather than making a cuppa right before bed, try boiling lettuce in a mug, a hack people claim is putting them to sleep in seconds. While it sounds absolutely insane, there is some truth to the mind-blowing hack, according to the experts, and it's a sure way to tackle insomnia. TikTok user Shapla Hoque first made the claim in a clip she shared online, which has garnered over 4.8 million views. In the clip, Ms Hoque boiled a kettle and poured the boiling water on some washed lettuce leaves which were shoved in a mug, before removing them as she sipped on the water. Worried it would taste disgusting, she popped in a peppermint tea bag for taste, however this isn't a required step - you could try camomile instead which is known to induce sleep. At first, the nightcap makes her "a bit drowsy" and then in what seems like no time at all, she's completely knocked out in her bed. Desperate for a decent sleep, people took to the comments and revealed they would give it a go, with one admitting: “On my way to the shop to buy 30 lettuces.” While someone else said, “My mum used to do this for me, boiled water and leave it in the pan for 5 min on a minimum heat, always worked a treat and it’s all natural.” So how does it actually work? Studies from 2013 and 2017 say that lettuce, particularly romaine, contains a phytonutrient, called lactucarium, which is said to induce sleep and relieve pain. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ladbible.com/" target="_blank">LadBible</a>, the 2017 report stated: “Lactuca sativa (lettuce), an annual herb which belongs to the Compositae family, is known for its medicinal value. Traditionally, lettuce has been suggested to have a sedative-hypnotic property.” And concluded: “The results of this study show that lettuce, especially romaine lettuce, is an interesting and cheap source of sleep-potentiating material and antioxidant polyphenols. “The seed and leaf extracts derived from romaine lettuce potentiates the pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviour in mice.”

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Sydney mum’s unbelievable find in lettuce bag

A Sydney mum has taken to Facebook to show her unexpected find in a bag of lettuce she claims she purchased at ALDI. Lesley Khun warned others on the Mosman Living group to "check packed lettuce carefully!" "Last night my son found this baby white headed snake in with the packaged baby cos lettuce he purchased from Aldi," Khun wrote. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840717/cos-lettuce-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ab4ef30453e44af1a0970a35ac96bc3f" /> "Make sure you check packed lettuce carefully!" When asked by group members what fate the snake had met, Khun revealed that WIRES Wildlife Rescue had come to remove the creature. White headed snakes are thankfully not too common in Brisbane, and are also not considered dangerous to humans. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840716/cos-lettuce-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a4b27bb2496549c2a9e151d47466daf3" /> "Oh my Lord!" one person wrote on the post. Another user commented: "Allens taking Snakes Alive to a whole new meaning."

Food & Wine

How to make bagged lettuce taste fresher

It’s the pet hate of every savvy shopper – a bag of “fresh” leafy greens that are just plain soggy. Lucky for you, we’ve found a nifty trick to help take away the excess moisture and leave your salads tasting as fresh as if you’d picked the produce yourself, and it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it for years. Simply open the bag of greens and place paper towel inside. Yep, that’s it. The towel will absorb all the moisture and ensure your salad mixes stay fresher for longer. <img width="500" height="435" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/23270/salad_500x435.jpg" alt="Salad"/> Have you tried this trick before or have another handy way to keep produce fresh? Let us know in the comment section below. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/06/keep-avocadoes-fresh-for-6-months/">The easy trick to keep avocados fresh for 6 months</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths/">How to get rid of pantry moths</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/04/ripen-avocado-in-10-minutes/">How to ripen avocados in 10 minutes</a>

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