Spinach

Nowadays, spinach is available in bags with most of the work—the stemming and washing—already done. There is nothing wrong with buying spinach in a bag. But you must inspect it carefully through the bag to make sure there are no wet spots or wilting or yellowing leaves. In theory you shouldn’t have to wash it again, but a quick rinse is a good idea. If you are fastidious, you may want to pick through it and pull off any stems that were left on when it was packed. If you are buying spinach in bunches, you will probably encounter (at different times of the year) one of two kinds: one with small, smooth leaves and the other with large, wrinkled leaves. The small-leaved spinach is best for salads. But if you are cooking spinach, those little leaves will shrink to nothing, so look for large leaves.