Life is funny. I started The Kale Project because I couldn’t find a job in Paris. I started the Project because while wandering the Seine is a lovely occupation, when you leave a bustling city like New York, the pleasures of macarons and escargot only last so long until you need more. I started the Project because I had an internal fear that if I did not do something in Paris that I would not be able to find a job when we eventually do move back to America. And I started The Kale Project because I just couldn’t get past the fact that the French did not grow a cabbage as ancient as kale.
And now here I am today… with an article in the New York Times and the experience of a kale menu dégustation by Alain Passard of Arpège. As I said, life is funny and also really awesome.
Rockstar journalist Elaine Sciolino contacted me back in July about her interest to learn more about the Project. I could not have asked for a better writer to do something on kale in France. In fact she is someone I’ve always admired as her book Le Seduction was one of the first I read upon arriving in Paris. I knew this woman had figured out how to deal with the French in a clever way – it became somewhat of a French handbook to me, although I always thought that the seduction part would always be a lot easier if I could easily communicate with people. Now two years later, as French phrases flow out of my mouth with a lot more ease, I am finally able to put into practice Elaine’s idea of how the French play the game of life.
I had the most incredible time with her and well-known French food critic from the newspaper Le Monde, Jean-Claude Ribaut as we went to markets, Madame Mustard’s farm, Arpège and another small bistro in the 19th, O Divin. It was the journey of all journeys and one of which I feel so grateful to have experienced.
To start, Elaine and Jean-Claude attended the pop-up event at Babel in early September. I gave then tastings of les kale chips, kale smoothies, kale salad and kale pesto tartine. For Jean-Claude it was the first time he’d ever tasted or seen the vegetable.
The following day the three of us headed out to Madame Mustard’s farm and no question went unanswered. While driving to the farm, Jean-Claude shared that he had in fact written an article for Le Monde back in 2001 about cabbages for every season including kale (or as it was referenced chou frisé non-pommé/chou plume) but did not realize he’d written about kale since the vegetable is so unknown here.
And then came the lunch at Arpège. Many people have said to me before, “Oh you must go talk to Alain. He has farms. He grows his own vegetables. He must start growing kale.”
But think about it: I’m this American chick with broken-French. Do you really think that I’m going to approach a world-famous, three Michelin star French chef such as Alain Passard and ask him to plant or use le kale? Heading to the smaller, newer restaurants that aren’t entrenched in French food tradition is one thing… but Arpège? It was always going to be something I saved for later. Much later. If ever.
Until Jean-Claude insisted that Arpège was the place we would go with our crate of Madame Mustard’s kale. Monsieur Passard happily accepted the challenge and spent the next three days working with and imagining the dishes. Then on Monday afternoon, we took our place for the kale menu dégustation. And it was gorgeous.
As Monsieur Passard does (rumor has it he’s quite the flirt), he frequently came in and out of the kitchen to chat and smile with patrons and made his way over to us to explain each dish.
The starter was a simple ravioli with kale in a light tomato bouillabaisse with a dash of fresh pepper. The second course a 50/50% combination of kale and onion with finely diced chives on top. Monsieur Passard explained that the acidity of the chives were a great balance with the alkaline taste of the kale. I made a mental note to include chives in my next raw kale salad.
The third course was by far one of the simplest but also my favorite. A kale purée of 95% kale and 5% courgette topped with a crème du speck. I hadn’t even heard of speck before this meal and it was the perfect flavoring to mix into the creamy soup. Jean-Claude remarked that the taste was “paysanne and country rustic.” Indeed and added with the crisp country bread at the table, I could have eaten this soup all day.
The fourth course was perhaps the most unique. While maybe not much to look at, don’t judge this book by the cover. An onion, kale, courgette sausage (all vegetarian inside with animal casing) accompanied by a red pepper purée and celeri rave and turnip foam. The flavors were perfect combination of savory and vegetable fresh.
Lastly was the stuffed kale in tomato broth. A kale-lover’s dream as it’s kale, onion and potato wrapped in kale marinating in a tomate-vert and matcha broth.
Suggested wine pairings were a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Domaine La Grange Tiphaine Touraine) and then a 2010 Cote du Beaune (Domaine Bachelet Monnot Batard Montrachet Grand Cru).
And of course nothing is complete in France without a plate of perfect French pastries for dessert.
Mary says
But where is the kale macaron?! oh, I loved this post so much! Thank you so much for the Kale Project. Hoping the kale makes it south to Aix-en-Provence one day….
Stephanie says
Congratulations Kristen, well deserved!!
From a New Yorker who had also followed her husband to Paris.
I hope to do the same as you, contribute something worthly to this lovely city. Keep up your great work, too bad our memorable visit to Arpege was last month….it would have been great to taste
M. Passard’s Kale creations.
Lindsey Kent (@pictoursparis) says
Congratulations, Kristen!!!! I can’t tell you how proud I am to have seen you grow the Kale Project from just an idea to THIS. Alain’s lunch menu looked divine – especially those raviolis and stuffed kale! Isn’t he a charmer?! :)
Karen says
Great article Kristen very impressive!! arpege, wow!! I love the dishes they look amazing!!would be nice to have the recipes as well ha ha … well keep up the good work you’re doing fabulous congratulations!!
Michele Moore (@Michele_Moore) says
That looks amazing Kristen! Congratulations on the article in the NYT!
anne-sophie says
Hello,
I am afraid that you won’t get any congratulations from me. I am writing in english so that there are no misunderstanding between us. Cabbage is indigenous of Europe and has been cultivated and growing wild in those parts for ages. You just have to leave the bloody roads and meet the non-commercial gardeners to find kale in many forms. You will find kale in our garden but for that you will have to leave Paris and look for real people who would rather give kale as baby plants to others to benefit from it by domestically cultivating it rather than trying to make a market “nouvelle cuisine” for “nouveau riches”.
You pissed me off woman. “Elaine’s idea of how the French play the game of life”. Poor choice of words or a voluntary provocation? I don’t know, you wrote the words, you tell me but I don’t play the game of life, I work and I am french. You have to be careful of what you offer to the public. Kale has been in France for a long time when your ancestors were still European, you just didn’t know and forgot to think twice before writing such non-sens and condescending remarks about your adopted country, I mean France. If you want to sell Kale to the riches, do it privately and without the pretentious attitude of allowing the poor french to discover that wonderful vegetable.
By the way, do you grow Kale or do you just get other people to grow it for you.
I am not happy and it wouldn’t go amiss I assure you if you would correct publicly any mistakes made on your blogs. You should also write to the New-York times in order to rectify what I consider invalid and insulting to at least the french.
I must add that you are welcome to contact me, I am just pissed off with certain things but I am not against people rediscovering, would be a better word, their native and nutritious food.
I wish you a good day.
Anne-sophie.
Julien says
Anne Sophie, votre commentaire est bien triste, et reflète bien nos racines, ou plutôt nos mauvaises herbes Françaises. Celles qui nous mènent à toujours vouloir tout savoir, tout critiquer, ainsi que tout dénigrer.
Votre commentaire est aussi faux que le faux que vous reprochez.
Fils de meunier, et petit fils d’horticulteur, je peux vous affirmer que le “Kale” ne pousse plus de manière officielle en France depuis des décennies, et quand bien même il y pousserait, quasiment personne ne le vend sur les marchés, ne le cuisine au restaurant, ou daigne lui donner un nom commun.
Historiquement nourriture a cheval, il me semble probable que vous l’ayez éventuellement rencontré dans des étables étant petite. La France baignant dans le chou après la deuxième guerre mondiale, a force d’en avoir mangé, il est clair que nous l’ayons facilement oublié. Ce qui m’amène par ailleurs a vous signaler au passage, que c’est en partie grâce aux ancêtres de cette demoiselle, les mêmes a qui vous semblez reprocher d’avoir émigrer a une époque qui vous est inconnue, que nous pouvons simplement exister en tant que Français aujourd’hui.
Votre commentaire semble donc arrogant. Vous vous permettez de juger cette demoiselle qui ne fait rien d’autre que de promouvoir la redécouverte d’un chou, et ce, sans jamais clamer que ce serait un produit américain, et sans aucune contrepartie financière apparente. Dans ce processus elle promeut même la gastronomie Française à l’étranger.
Alors au fond, que lui reprochez vous? De vouloir “marketer” un produit oublié en lui laissant son nom américain? Et bien laissez moi vous dire que jusqu’a preuve du contraire, il n’a jamais été aussi facile de trouver du Kale sur les marchés que depuis que ce nom le définit précisément. Ce chou sans nom, ou, au mille et un noms, dépendant de l’humeur du maraicher est enfin bel et bien là, et je ne peux que remercier cette demoiselle d’avoir contribuer, et de contribuer encore a cette réalité.
Vous remarquerez que je n’adresse pas vos commentaires sur les nouveaux riches, car ils sont infondés. Mon dernier achat de Kale ne m’a pas coûté plus de 3 Euros le kilo, et je n’appartiens pas non plus a ceux qui peuvent se rendre a l’Arpège pour y diner. Mais je n’ai aucune rancœur envers les gens qui peuvent se le permettre, bien au contraire car au fond c’est bien cela qui crée des emplois.
anne-sophie says
Bonjour Julien,
Jamais nourri de chevaux ou de vaches avec kale, peut-être le chou vert mais en petite quantité mais cultive le kale au potager, parfois appelé “chou frisé”(pas de savoy) dépendant des régions et leur patois.
Le contenu de votre second § me laisse entendre que vous n’avez pas su me lire. Relisez, je vous prie mon message. Est-ce que je reproche qui que se soit d’avoir émigrer. NON!!! je note juste l’existence du kale et ses variantes sur le territoire français à une certaine époque.
Quoi qu’il en soit, il serait intéressant de connaître le cheminement de votre pensée qui vous amènes à écrire que c’est grâce aux ancêtres de “cette demoiselle” que nous pouvons simplement exister en tant que français aujourd’hui.
Je ne juge pas la personne, ce n’est pas mon boulot mais je réagis à ce qui est offert sur la scène publique. Promouvoir le Kale n’est certainement pas une mauvaise idée en soit puisque comme je l’ai déjà expliqué je cultive, partage, échange et donne chaque saison et depuis des années la Kale, ses bébés plants et ses graines autour de moi. C’est autre chose que je me suis permise de critiquer. La critique doit-elle être en définitivement négative? Elle est d’ailleurs adressée à l’éditrice du blog mais il est tout à fait de votre droit de prendre sa défense ou parti si vous le jugez nécessaire.
Je ne lui reproche pas non plus, bien que que vous semblez le croire, de proclamer Kale comme étant un produit américain-ce qu’elle ne fait pas- ni de vouloir conserver le nom américain, which is in fact English.
De plus, en me relisant vous vous apercevrez que j’évoque l’existence de la cultivation du kale en France dans les jardins domestiques et les potagers et non sur les étales ou dans les commerces et restaurants.
Donc, jusqu’à preuve du contraire comme vous dîtes je ne vous ai pas contredit.
By the way, rich and poor, old and new are equally welcome at my table but it will be the same for all = free.
La goût remarquable du kale et sa valeur nutritionnelle sont des raisons suffisantes pour l’adopter.
mwalster says
Kristen, I loved reading the article in the NYT. Happy to find your blog. We love kale. It is a prolific grower in the Pacific NW though still highly underrated. I actually believe that kale is a key to food sustainability. Will be arriving in Paris soon. Perhaps I should bring kale seeds with me :) Thank you.
iznibz wazir says
The superior consciousness you obviously espouse would have got your head removed in former years. Unadulterated bull-chic madame. Get real rich kid Choux frisé has existed in Europe since at least the middle Ages. Probably exported to the British shore by Guillaume le bâtard. He was a Norman, get it?? y’know,French for heaven’s sake. One kale plant when allowed to grow to full term in it’s right season, will produce thousands of seeds. One seed , with care,may produce several pounds of delicious leaf and shoots. The French and English farmers introduced the vegetable to America, hence you find it a popular cheap expedient in New York markets. Land starved urban masses are an easy market to exploit. It’s a back yard vegetable.a greedy plant requiring super rich ground for best results. We give away self sown seedlings, the petit potager reigns supreme in this region of France,that’s Brittany,few here would be remotely likely to read your blogged article. We don’t “buy it”. La vie paysanne,c’est permanent, we can share the good news free of charge around each others kitchen tables. You can’t exploit the product commercially for long, you have already priced yourself out of the popular seed market. Promote the vegetable by all means, a joyous celebration for all to share.Why spoil the meal with immodest ill conceived commercial self promotional. You are not the kings and queens of cuisine,this is a republic. Those exalted titles are the personal domain of the lowliest peasant families now. Many without “jobs” engaged in ,not so much a “game” as you call it but a viable permanent economic way of life. You have got “Big ways” as they would say in St. Helena,(you should go…). Who know’s you may find yourself a director of Monsanto GMO Kale division one day, or find yourself discussing market profitability at the executive high table of Pioneer France, a sister company of Monsanto. I won’t envy you. You wouldn’t get a lot of work done with the minuscule portions you advertise. I am laughing,Why not? We eat as much kale as we can bear in the appropriate season,from winter to spring with plenty to spare,plenty to share,free of charge of course. And hey “awesome”, I almost yawned,happen you’ll be promoting the omg/wtf variant of my lovely English language. The nuance of your lexicon,had me reminded of an American comedy, “White Chicks”. Work it out. Kale doesn’t need poly tunnel, withstanding severe frost admirably. I won’t be reading the New York Times now as a direct result of stumbling upon your blog.Short of coherent copy no doubt.Americans are easily fooled by their own propaganda.I speak English at home to my Breton wife,in 35330, We laughed about you in Franglais. It seems your fancy high table tourist prices are inspired by the prospect of bottom line profiteering.You may fool the American readership of New York Times and perhaps seduce a few opportunist contract planters(don’t call them” farmers”,or “peasants”, just cash hungry” wage slaves” out to make a quick buck. Be warned growers of the Law of diminishing return. There would be no subsidy for Kale. It’s a risky business to speculate in. Caterpillars love it. No problem if it is only a domestic crop, a manageable crisis biologically. Commercial growers are prone to use toxic pesticide which would be retained by the leaf.
Alert!!! We are on the case ready to sue at a moments notice. I would rather cultivate friends around my lowly peasant table than waste energy and time grooming naive blogbrowsers to pop in for high priced snacks. It’s too undignified to contemplate. Check out my little blog for some sort of reference of where I’m coming from if you’ve a will. Apologies for the degree of difficulty, it’s in English, Afore I forget… Bon appetite. I close with a humor as dry as this years drought. Yours with thanks, sincerely, Iznibz Wazir.
p.s. One picture for sure shows our Kale at shoulder height to my good wife,enjoy.
Julien says
Iznibs, it looks like you are feeding your wife with the wrong kale:
The name borecole most likely originates from the Dutch boerenkool (farmer’s cabbage), whereas kale bears semblence to the Danish kål (a general term for various kinds of cabbage). Some varieties can reach a height of six or seven feet; others are compact and symmetrical and of good quality for eating. Many, however, are coarse, possess an undesirable coloring, and are unappealing and indigestible. Most kale are either annuals or biennials, and are raised from seeds, which, in size, form, and color, resemble those of the cabbage. In Congo, Tanzania and Kenya (East Africa), the plant is referred to by the generic name of sukuma wiki, which literally translates as “stretch the week “; the term also includes Collard Greens.
Emily says
Iznibz,
As someone who has had the opportunity to watch Kristen’s kale crusade unfold, I feel I should correct you on your statement that “a few opportunist contract planters” are growing kale and bringing it to Paris markets. The producers who have decided to grow kale are farmers working small plots of land, often in the vicinity of Paris. They live off the land and are, as you would say, leading “la vie paysanne”. Just because they are growing a new vegetable that pleases primarily the ex-pat community, doesn’t mean they are any less happy to share the fruit of their labour and land with PArisians as well as neighbors, effectively sharing “the good news free of charge around each others kitchen tables”.
I think it’s unfortunate that many don’t understand the important, and voluntary, role of small scale French producers who work along with, and not for, The Kale Project.
Iznibz Wazir says
Ayup Emily,there’s not much nourishment gained from licking raw data off the screen then regurgitating it in comments, like so much “crambo” (from the Latin,carambis). Discussion of etymology just makes me hungry. I read the comments on the New York Times site. I have seen magnificent Kale specimens growing in the municipal displays on roundabouts in France.Edible vegetables and ornamentals can look stunning together.You can grow masses of the stuff in a bucket , we eat other things as well. Nip out the growing tips to encourage side shoots,(baby Kales),succulent and sweet , leave the big foliage , often too bitter for children’s palate,the big leaf will help regenerate the plant and prolong its season by shading the ground water above it’s roots.. The big leaves go well in “Bubble and squeak” in the leaner part of the year, even the heart of the main stalks are potable in the right hands.Before the flower buds open is the time to experiment with roux sauces, juicy goodness for sure. The seed is easily got,I am sure the key boarder internaughts can find it,Excess seedlings can be tuned into the soil as a green manure.
But $15 a Kilo, hardly egalitarian. I couldn’t afford even one kipper to go with it at that price. That kind of misguided commercial marketing, sounds like”A Merry Con” Dream ,A mass rush demand from the urban huddle, would introduce yet another ecological imbalance. We are on the case here surrounded by oceans of maze. When the grandiose dream becomes an ecological nightmare, every new commercial insurgency should be objectively analyzed, our duty of care. Against the current maze madness,we promote the cause of familial community and workers gardens. Nigh on 80% of our population live in the urban huddle, most in landless box apartments,economically disadvantaged wage slaves just treading water. Kale is just Kale, when all is said and done, there are other delicious issues we could get our teeth into. The commercial maze fields need a change of use, they are over exploited since rural mechanisation since the war and the Rememblement, the grubbing up of hedges turning pasture and potager into wind blown monoculture.Subsidised land abuse. We promote Culture Permanent.@Zero percent commission.They who think I “hate” have wasted some good thinking time ,sez I. I suggest they chew my words more slowly and for longer before swallowing.Allow time for digestion for a better understanding. Shopping isn’t the meaning of life, the more you do the more the waste. I saw cardboard packaging on Kirsten’s promoted products, it reminded me of the Smurfit pulp wood plantations in Colombia. The peons call them “the dead forest”. The Irish billionaire promotes “the ecologically acceptable face of packaging”, Little folk shot for being suspect terrorists for guerrier gardening in their struggle to feed their families. Fact finding can be a risky business. I draw my information from my database of personal real life experience, the result is, we promote Horticulture over Agriculture, self reliant family gardens over heavily subsidized farms and kitchen table altruism over cynical commercial opportunism. Sometimes you can ruin a meal by eating to quickly. Some food is only fit to be looked at, but feast away however you may. Don’t hesitate to come round to chew the fat in person, we won’t eat you,we’re vegetarians. As for Julien’s comment about stinky cheese…If a village cheese was named after me , however “stinky” I would feel modestly honored,I am however glad I wasn’t named after his village. cheese, I hope he sees my point. As for my wife’s shortness, (she is that), it’s all relative, I am 2 metres tall, most folk are short to me, a non issue. Find me if you canThere are enough clues amongst the comments. Happen you’d find out why we are not currently engaged in the long list of “Why not’s”. It would fill a book. Doin’ is what we duz best, The internet is a minor add-on. I got tired of blogging details of our exponential economic progress I will indulge myself with a seasonal binge , photo’s articles, music and coming soon short videos. Fame and fortune will just have to wait, I am off out to the real world to split some firewood. Before I go, Feel free to write directly, I will reply in kind,I can always block the rude ones. What else. Not much except to note that little work gets done of the manual variety on the ground. Internet chatter doesn’t bring back the earth to a state of grace. Major cause for colonic cancer may be sitting on ones arse and expecting everyone else to grow the cure. We all ought to be mucking in @Zero % commission to feed each other . Think what you will like it or lump it. This means this and that means that, the two may not be remotely similar. Kirsten can blow her own trumpet for herself (Ayup Kirsten)Wordz Fail, Doing the do iz all. I. Wazir.
Julien says
Well written indeed, but I think that thinking the way you do is one thing, actions to promote you’re vision and saving the world is another.
Now it is easy to dismantle someone else’s work to promote your ideal virtual world, much harder to build your world by actually engaging others in your foot steps. So to be honest, what is it you are doing for your cause? Do you have any blog, any website that you manage, promote at least as well as Kristen to educate all of us better and have us follow you too? Or is it that your comments are just coming out as they are because you feel the need of informing us of the sadness of today’s world?
Because the only thing I hear you doing is bragging loud and clear that you know better than anyone else?
You should consider that most people here indeed are really much aware of the little changes we can make in our everyday’s life to promote a global change for a better world, as I am sure many do.
As you should know better than anyone else, Rome was not built in one day.
Regarding the kale, I truly doubt that you can be serious when believing that everyone sales kale at 17euro a kilo! You are probably well aware that most journalist like to talk about the sensational aspect of things, if not then you should walk around french markets yourself to realize that indeed you can buy kale very easily for less than 3 Euro a kilo, and 5 euro in organic. If you can actually find Kale at all for sale it is because Kristen has simply promoted a vegetable she loves. I don’t think she willingly promotes high priced kale, the journalist however does as he is impressed by the fact that it can sell at this price.
I actually think Kristen promotes beyond that vegetable, healthy trends and ecological living however it is not the purpose of her Kale Project!!! Maybe you should reach out to her for her services if you have something to promote, she would probably be very efficient at it too!
Iznibz Wazir says
Find out for yourself Julien, don’t be scared off by me. Le Breil,Campel,35330. You may batter your mind’s eye with my grumblings and poetic morsels, as well as photos with an optional choice of ooblee dooblee flutings as a garnish on It starts in 2008,a good place to begin. You’ll find a nice pic of some beautiful curly kale,our first in our village home.Dig into the interminable verbiage of my blog.Show it to your friends if you can’t get my meaning, or request translation from my “short wife”. The NYT Photo looks suspiciously posed. We don’t do that.I don’t feel so desperate as to call for Kristen’s help but if she is interested she’d not be turned away.We have many tonnes of stone arriving soon as well as a large mound of earth to move. The garden field improves year by year. It’s not bragging it’s just growing. The blog’s not about me it iz about the big IT. I would be happier talking with a visitor face to face , single finger keyboard pogoing, can be arduous,would you dare??? You can bring some of that “stinky cheese”, and take pot luck on the plat de jour if you do. Please yerself , you sound as though you’n us iz more in accord than you may have thought. I am not giving you the finger I need it for typing. There is not enough time to slog out my long winded scrolls. Judge for yourself what good or other. The work will still be on going long into the future. We would love to discuss in person. Bien venue!!! I. Wazir
Julien says
Congrats Iznibz… You indeed planted Kale in 2008, and even more amazing, you actually call it Kale too. So I guess you indeed introduced Kale to your garden, and probably to people around you and that’s great! It’s exactly the sought purpose of that whole blog, so you see there was no reel needs to make me go through a treasure map to get the facts. And please don’t think I was criticizing your wife as indeed I was referring to tall kale which is often not eatable. I had not seen her picture what so ever until now.
So I still don’t understand why so much energy in defying the legitimacy of the claims Kristen makes, as indeed she has never claimed being the first one to plant it or re implant it in France. She just couldn’t find it anywhere and her search has led her to putting up this blog and doing all this work.
Now don’t you think she is trying to promote expensive kale as she is not, if you knew better, following her map of markets, some of them sell Kale for a price of around 3e a kilo. So if the reporter used the higher prices he could find, was probably to insist on the fact that some people where ready to pay that much just because the demand was there, that’s all. And of course no one wants to pay 17Euros a kilo, that I can insure you…
nicole says
Wow, there are some ignorant commenters here! Poor Anne-Sophie and Iznibz Wazir who have no idea what they are talking about. They seem to have the notion that Choux frisé is kale. Ha ha. Jokes on them.
Keep spreading the kale joy you white chick! Ha, love it. You are with your incredible networking bringing kale to France and spreading it’s popularity. Well done.
Julien says
I am with you on this one!
And we are talking about kale here? That last comment from Iznibz :”kale at shoulder height to my good wife” should indeed probably be read as “kale at shoulder height to my short wife”….
Iznibz Wazir says
What’s in a word? I call it “kale” because I am English. Of course it would be difficult to find if you couldn’t use French or regional patois to identify it. I have just cast my eye over the seed catalogue,”Graines Baumaux” , several varieties readily available, “Choux Frisé Non Pommes”,who cares what they call it? You can get mighty sick and hungry talking about the stuff. Mine’s good how’s yours?
Hershl says
I found out about you, your blog and your project from the NY Times article.
My husband loves kale and is always raving about it.
Maybe I will start eating it, too.
Vive le kale!
iznibz wazir says
wikipedia “Kale”.All variants of one species. As nature modifies the brassica by cross breeding so too the language mutates into various regional patois. They’d never heard of “Runner beans” hereabouts they call them spanish beans, in French of course.You couldn’t find it because you looked in the wrong place. Paris isn’t the whole of France. We grow the stuff,then giveaway the excess to our needs. Three varieties at present. Why buy it. We are growers not grocers.I met a woman in Oxford who didn’t know what leeks were,”never even heard of them”.She was gob smacked by the discovery. Before “awesome” became the popular idiom.Eat yer greens and try not to talk with your mouth full. I don’t fault the vegetable, you just don’t “get it”.promote the veg by all means but don’t kid yourself that you are the only one nor are you the first. It is the way you pimp the product that drove me to comment.What on earth do you think I ignore? Do tell.I’m still smiling. I. Wazir.
Julien says
Iznibz… Why don’t you put you’re energy at promoting something, a product that we can all discover from you, something new, or old as a matter fact? Something that you would know about better than all of us here, something that we would of course all ignore about? Something local perhaps, something you growth with much pride… Wherever that might be… Promote it, talk about it, travel to every corner of France with it, get your feed back on it, generate your followers, your set of articles, your TV moments and then come back and let us share your story; I am sure we will manage to find you some good and proud haters of your own.
You seemed to be a kale hater at first, but indeed, by reading your last comment I tend to think that you are simply an everything hater. Very sad indeed, but again maybe you think you are the only one not leaving in Paris here! Well you are not… But please spare me of your region because I would truly dislike to find out that you could be my neighbor. Matter of fact I would probably have to move and rename my own village stinky cheese after you. Hopefully you have enough positive thoughts within you to take all of this with a little lightness and “auto derision”…
swbg2 says
I have to say I am a bit taken aback by the haters. RIght. “Chou frisé” is not kale and doesn’t cook or taste like kale. I’ve been living in France for 20 years and have not once seen kale in any “primeur”, “marché” or “marché paysan” even though I do believe that kale, collards, etc. are Mediterranean natives. Also, not everyone has the possibility to grow their own vegetables and are obliged to buy them. Although I am partial to collards, I would love to have kale readily available down here in the South of France. Watercress is a somewhat satisfying substitute, but it is not available often and is also a “difficult” crop, from what I understand….The good news is that with all the publicity kale has been getting, my local “primeur” is now in the throes of trying to find a supplier. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Anyway, all that to say congratulations on your article in the New York Times and when you manage to get kale back on the table here in France, maybe collard greens won’t be far behind!!
kristen says
Hello! Thank you for your support. Did your primeur ever find a supplier? Not sure exactly where you live but kale is popping up more and more in the south now too. And collards hopefully are next!
sevenhappyhens says
Wow, what is up with the vitriolic reaction from Anne-Sophie and Iznibz? Icroyable!
Kristen I am proud of you and am so happy that you got to experience such a treat for all you hard-kale work. Keep it up and I can’t wait to read about where your Kale journey lands you next.
valerie says
Bonjour !
I am French and I have been living in Southern California for 8 years. I am a French teacher and this morning, one of my student gave me the article from the NYT. Very interesting, especially because I like drinking Kale juice. I am a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. Of course I didn’t know what was Kale before coming in the USA and I was wondering why we didn’t have this vegetable in France. So I really love your project.
When I was living in France I was in charge of communication at the “Chambre d’Agriculture” where I was promoting farmer’s food to the community. My biggest yearly event was the “Semaine du gout”. A fantastic event and opportunity to aware consumers. Are you part of this event? It would be such a good way to inform French people about this product, to share recipes, to create events..
I can’t wait to read more about your project. Bravo !
Valerie
kristen says
Hi Valerie – Thank you for your kind comment! That yearly event sounds really interesting. Is it possible that you could put me in touch with anyone that works on it? I would love to be involved! Best, Kristen
marta says
Oh, I love this academic discussion of Kale and its relatives. Before I read the article in the NYT I had already asked relatives in Brazil to bring me seeds of kale and collard greens. I want to try to grow kale and collard greens where I live in the south of France.
I am amused at the intensity of opinions on this topic.If anyone has some extra seeds please send them to me, but only if they are NOT GMO !
thefrancofly says
A simple idea can easily become a tasting menu at Arpege with hard work and dedication. Kristen, you inspire me so much!
Julie says
Loved the article, and your blog. My husband and I spent four months in Grenoble, and were surprised not to find any kale at the markets, in spite of the fantastic profusion of other vegetables. We love kale, and grow several varieties in our garden in Toronto, so we really missed it. Mind you, now that we’re back in Canada we desperately miss all the fabulous and reasonably priced cheese, wine, baguettes, etc. Hopefully you’ll spur some greater use of kale, and we can take advantage of that the next time we have a chance to live in France!
Emily in Exile says
I’m so proud of you Kristen! Haters gonna hate. But you took a common honest frustration and turned into a trend. Not easy to do in Paris, and not something that can be contrived. You go girl, and you keep going.
Jodi says
Congratulations on all your hard work, Kristen! It has surely paid off! Life is funny like, it always seems to work out well for those who put their heart and soul into it. I’ve noticed you’ve been getting a lot of press lately, and this is just ‘la creme de la creme!’ You should be really proud of yourself – really. Take care, hope our paths will cross one day! I haven’t given up on TKP making it to the Alpes. xxx
Kasia Dietz says
I’m so proud of you, Kristen! Little did you know what you were capable of, but then again you are NYC trained ;) Keep up the enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to Kale, and much more fulfillment and success shall find you!
ps. I’ll bring you some speck from Italy, soooo good!