It’s Bonjour Kale release day! Without the involvement of many people, the Kale Project would never have become what it is today. The same goes for this book. I want to express my thanks and appreciation (and give a big American hug) to all of you.
Liz, my first friend in Paris.
Lisa, Mary Kay, Lindsey Kent, and Sylvia, for making my first year much happier.
Grant and Helen Parker, for the brilliant logo idea.
Lucy Williams, for your beautiful illustrations.
Without the Paris online community, the word of kale would have been a lot harder to spread. To David and Clotilde, for the inspiration to go forward with this crazy idea—and for supporting it. To Bryan, Lindsey, and the Paris blogging world, for bringing your enthusiasm with beautiful photos and kind words.
Without very special friends, the project would have been stuck in a rut many times. Mariana Keller, for giving me ideas and pushing me to try new things. Jane and Olivier, for lending La Cuisine Paris and always being open to helping out. Elke Seyser, for the use of Superfoods Café in time of need. Channa, for letting kale shine at Loustic. Virginie, for being my first kale ambassador. Caitlin Riley and the Dark Rye team, for producing and telling the story so well. Maggie Schmerin, the unofficial Kale Project cheerleader. Elaine Sciolino, for taking things to a whole new level. Marion Aubert, without you, my dear friend, so much of what I accomplished would never have been possible. Thank you for teaching me to find my French tongue!
Emmanuel Heimann and Léonie Gwerder, for family dinners and your endless translation help.
My agent Bridget Matzie, for visualizing a book and working with me so patiently to the end game (and beyond!). Shana Drehs, my editor, for her thoughts and encouragement during the writing process. To the team at Sourcebooks for your attention to detail and hard work.
A big American hug to my dear friend Emily Dilling, for her constant kale companionship at the market, with farmers, and everywhere in between. I raise a mug of café filtre to my Paris girlfriend book lunch club: Emily, Anna Brones, and Jessie Kanelos-Weiner (and the Holybelly crew for keeping our stomachs full and our spirits bright). Your encour-
agement, listening, recipe testing, talent, and insight is unparalleled.
Without the chefs, kale would never have been cooked. To Chris Ronis, for my first kale salad. Omid and Alannah, for your friendship. Alice Quillet, Bruno Verjus, Shaun Kelley, Alain Passard, and most importantly, Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian, for giving a crazy girl and her leafy green a chance.
And of course without the farmers, there would never have been any kale at all. Joël Thiebault, Michèle Françoise, Gérard Essayan, Nicolas Thirard, Frédéric and Françoise Jullian, and Palmer Permaculture. Suzanne Newman, who is my vegetable fairy godmother. And of course to Hermione Boehrer, the kale pioneer.
I would be nowhere without my parents. My mom and John have never stopped believing in me or encouraging me. I am who I am because of you both.
Lastly, to my wonderful Philip. You, darling, are my best friend, and I can’t imagine doing life without you. Heureux, heureux, heureux.
Image by Jessie Kanelos-Weiner, The Francofly
Rebecca says
Big day! Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to read it, big hugs from (rainy) New York! <3
Cassie Autumn Tran says
This must have been so much fun for you! With all the hard work, passion and support you put into it, for sure you probably did an amazing job!