Since I was in Texas last week for a wedding, I was able to see one of my very good friends Hannah. Hannah and I, both from the same hometown near Pittsburgh PA, went to high school together, but did not become close until we both found ourselves fresh out of university living a few blocks away in the New York City neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen. What started out as weekly Sunday night dinners, quickly evolved into a wonderful friendship. I have many wonderful memories making kale with Hannah during lots of spontaneous dinners in our tiny apartments. Kale in salads, kale in miso, steamed kale, kale at Central Park picnics. You name it and we most likely included kale.
When Hannah and I were talking about The Kale Project last week, Hannah asked if she could do a guest post on For The Love of Kale.
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What does kale taste like to you in one sentence?
Hearty, sweet and leafy with a bit of earthy crunch.
Hello and Happy Friday, I’m so excited to be joining you from New York City as a guest contributor to The Kale Project Paris. I’m an old friend of Kristen and am very excited to share my love of kale with you all!
When did you first try kale?
My first memory of kale goes back to the cafeteria of Quaker Valley High School in 2001. As I sat across from Kristen (long brown hair, Nalgene bottle and home-made lunch) I inquired about the leafy greens she was eating, and she informed me it was kale. The first time I recall eating kale was in 2006 after spending a day with Kristen in Sheeps Meadow. We stopped at Whole Foods on our way home and she pointed out kale to me and I decided to try it. She also introduced me to ume plum vinegar as a complement, something I haven’t been without since!
When did you first try kale?
Braised Kale and White Beans. This Kale Monday’s recipe!
If you were serving kale to a kale virgin, what would you do?
Keep it simple and refer to question 2. Feel free to skip the beans, but they add an interesting element and dimension.
Tell us more about kale in America and New York.
Kale has certainly gained notoriety in the past 3 years. Many restaurants in New York have begun to feature a kale salad or have it as a regular menu item. Its very easy to find in New York City, even organic, but when I got back to Pittsburgh its a bit more challenging. Most grocery stores have a few bunches that arent that fresh or organic. However, overall kale awareness has improved substantially over the past 5 years even in places like Pittsburgh!
Merci and bon weekend Hannah. Be ready for Monday’s recipe. I’ve had it before and it’s a keeper.