Although the first day of l’hiver is not until December 21, winter has officially settled in. It’s cold and windy and the sun is rarely seen. In my family, we always say the 21st is the best day of the year because it means that each day will only get lighter. This being my second winter in Paris, I was in much less shock over the lack of December daylight. Last year, I could not get over that the sun did not rise until almost 9 o’clock. Not a morning person, I figured it was a good excuse to stay in bed a little longer and although my shock has subsided, I still use the dark mornings for extra snoozing.
What December has also brought us Parisians, is an end to some of our farmer’s kale supply. At least until next season.
That is why I spent most of yesterday freezing kale for winter soups.
This is the first time I’ve actually had to do this since when living in New York, I was able to pop into any old Food Emporium (although I hated that super market) for a bunch of last-minute kale. Let’s be honest, New York is the city of last-minute anything.
There are two different ways you can freeze kale.
1. Wash, cut or tear into medium size pieces, pat dry
2. Wash, blanche for a 10-15 seconds in boiling water until a brilliant green
Both options need to be relatively dry and then stored in either Ziploc bags (if you have any from the states) or just normal plastic containers. Given the lack of space in our French kitchens, the plastic bags work best for those short of storage.
I tried both methods to see if there is one that provides better kale post-freeze.
At this point, I will do my best to keep everyone updated on where kale is still being sold in Paris.
Right now I do know you can still find it at:
-Marché Bastille
-Port Royal/Place Monge
-Le retour de la terre
-Bob’s Juice Bar/Kitchen
I do know that Joël Thiebalt and La Ruche’s lovely farmer Nicolas are done for the season.
Happy freezing!
Here are some additional links with much more detailed posts about freezing kale.
Little House Living
365 Days of Kale
A Garden for the House