Popeye's dead

Does the whole poisonous spinach thing have anybody else spooked?

Spinach is THE vegetable for me. OK, yeah, I know I say that about all the vegetables - especially zucchini, chayote, broccoli, sweet potatoes ... ok, so I'm a veg slut. But spinach and me - we go way back and I thought our relationship was special. I eat it raw on sandwiches and salads, stir-fried, in soups, like greens, German-style creamed, and saag panir. There is no position - er, manner of preparation - I would ever decline with spinach.

I never thought spinach would do me wrong. I feel so betrayed.

My refrigerator cries out for a bag of baby spinach, but I just can't do it. Once bitten, twice shy.

The worst to me is the families who worked so hard to provide nutritious fare to their children - and because of it the kids are deathly ill or actually dead. Sneaking spinach in a fruit smoothie or baked with a chicken breast - I would SO do those kinds of things. And it could kill my kids?

The world's not safe for young 'uns. If it's not Susan Smith, it's spinach.