This one is just for all of you on the Left Bank. Finally, there is a place on your side of the river, on your side of the city to buy kale. You no longer have to trek to the 16th or the 12th to find your beloved green. Exciting right?
It all comes down to a lovely farmer named Marco. I’d heard about Marco, a local producer that you can read more about here, from Emily, an expat that’s lived in France for almost 20 years and another French woman who frequents his markets on the left-bank and was convinced she’d seen kale at his stand.
To add to the name game, Marco calls kale, chou Hollandaise. Because he gets his seeds from a Dutch farmer friend. I just keep thinking of Hollandaise sauce with a brunch of eggs benedict which is also a treat to find in Paris.
It took me much too long to actually get to Marco’s stand and I’m so glad I finally did. It was the usual morning market scene. Busy farmers selling their goods, hustling to and from baskets filled with turnips, onions and other root vegetables. Marco’s bunches of kale were so large that I spotted them from almost a block away. There was no way anyone could miss this chou plume. I’m talking bigger than my head. A bunch actually had some weight.
After assessing the situation and taking some photos, he finally asked me and Emily if we were there just to take photos or to actually buy something.
We hopped in line behind the older ladies reusing the brown paper produce bags from their unattractive caddies and waited our turn to chat with Marco.
As usual, my stomach turned to knots as I kept repeating in my head what I wanted to say to Marco in French about The Kale Project. I always feel as if I’m bothering the farmers when I try to talk to them. Trust me, I will never blow a kiss to anyone ever again… Luckily, Emily had talked with Marco in-depth not that long ago about him being one of the few true local producers left in Paris, so I felt like I had her as my right-hand-woman.
When it was our turn, I shyly asked for the chou vert/kale. I’m not really sure what stumbled out of my mouth. I pointed my shaking hand, which was holding a printed copy of the French Le Huff Post article as further explanation the Project, towards the large bunches of curly green.
Marco raised his eyes towards me. “Tu le connais? Parce que les française ne connaissent pas le chou Hollandaise.” I smiled back at him as my nerves broke and nodded. Of course I know the French aren’t aware of kale. But let’s be honest… that is slowly changing!
And there you have it. Kale is on the Left Bank thanks to a few helpful tips. And I will make sure Monsieur Marco keeps growing it. This won’t be a fluke of just a few seeds from his Dutch farmer friend.
Check it out for yourself and buy his kale. The more we buy, the more he’ll grow.
After our kale pick-up, Emily and I headed to nearby café for a morning coffee in the rare Parisian sunshine. And we had our best bud, kale right next to us. Minus the crazy stares from those walking by and the dubious waiter, I think Paris suits la kale, non?
Marché Place Monge
*Producer is Marc Marscetti
Wednesday, 7h30-14h
Friday, 7h30-14h
Sunday, 7h30-15h
Métro: Place Monge
Marché Port-Royal
*Producer is Marc Marscetti
This market stretches along the Val de Grace hospital on Boulevard du Port Royal.
Tuesday, 7h30-14h
Thursday, 7h30-14h
Saturday, 7h30-15h
Métro: Port-Royal or Raspail
Frances says
Hi Kristen, just found your blog and admire your efforts to bringing kale awareness to Paris and beyond!
I’m excited to see that there is local producer at the Place Monge market but am wondering if you asked Marc Marscetti about his growing practices in relation to use of pesticides and biodynamique farming? I am curious because I am currently getting organic kale from Le Ruche qui dit oui Xeme at 2.95euros for a sm-med bunch! I noticed in the photo above, it says 0 traitment, brou de choux at 2 euros a bunch ; )! Does that mean it’s free from pesticides etc… but that he just doesn’t have the label? Kale is on the Dirty 15 list of highest in pesticides recently in the US at least. I would love to be able to buy from Marc, at the market, when the mood strikes instead of 4 days in advance from Le Ruche, less wiggle room for spontaneity ; )
Thanks again for all you are doing!
Frances
kristen says
Hi Frances, Thank you for your comment. You reminded me that I did not specify whether or not he uses pesticides. I will update that for sure. My friend Emily (who wrote the more detailed profile on him) told me that he does not use pesticides and never has. He’s very natural and old school and grows on a small piece of land so he can practice growing pesticide free. He does not however have the official certification but when asked he seems to believe it’s more just marketing jargon than necessary, so I think we can be pretty confident that his produce is grown pretty organically. And for further proof, I found a few lovely buggers in my kale from him while washing! Hope this helps.
Frances says
Thanks Kristen for your quick reply. I’ll definitely go try some of Marc’s chou Hollandaise !
famke says
Hi Kristen, Kale is indeed a very Dutch thing. It is typical winter grub. I must admit we have no large number of traditional recipes. We make it into a hotchpot. So what we do is bring potatoes fit for puree, to a boil. Quantity to the kale is preferably 1 to 1 in weight. After 10 min. boiling we put the shredded kale on top. And let it cook for approx. 10 more minutes. When potatoes and kale are done, we mash it up with butter – a little milk – grated nutmeg. For the non-vega/veggies: add fried small cut pieces of bacon or speck. And to top it off: you eat it with rookworst, which is so Dutch I don’t think you’ll find it anywhere in France :).
kristen says
Hi there, Thank you for your comment. Now that it’s winter time, I’m looking forward to trying out all the more regional dishes from surrounding countries. And this one sounds great and since my husband is obsessed with bacon and I never let him have it (I hate cleaning it up), maybe I’ll surprise him with this!