What do American people call rockets?

Okay, so, another question about what Americans call arugula/rocket? Seriously?! It drives me nuts. I’m American, and the struggle is real. We call it arugula – which, I don’t know, sounds kind of… snooty, maybe? Like, it’s just some leafy greens, right? But “arugula” makes it sound all fancy-pants, like something you’d eat with a tiny fork at a ridiculously expensive restaurant. It’s a pretty aggressive flavor too, all peppery and almost bitter. Why such a posh name for something so…intense?

And then everyone else – like, the entire rest of the world, it feels like – calls it rocket. Rocket! So much simpler. Why can’t we just, you know, get on the same page with this? It’s a salad leaf, not rocket science! (See what I did there? Okay, bad joke.)

Truthfully? I mostly just steer clear of the whole thing. Too much drama for a little green leaf. I remember one time, I was at this Italian place – pretty authentic, you know? – and I asked for a salad without arugula. The waiter looked at me like I’d grown a second head. He was so confused. It was awkward. Maybe I should’ve just said “rocket”? Who knows. It’s all too much. Salad shouldn’t be this complicated.