When buying fresh spinach, look for springy, bright leaves and short stems. In general, the smaller the spinach leaves, the more tender and more delicately flavored the vegetable will be. Before using, be sure to rinse under cold running water to remove any sand. Remove the stems before using. Spinach will keep for only 2 to 4 days, so store it in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable crisper and use it soon.

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