Where can I find kale in Paris?
Where can I buy kale seeds?
How do I grow kale?
What is the season for kale?
What is kale?
What is kale in French?
Where does kale come from?
What’s the history of kale?
What are the health benefits of kale?
How can I be involved?
Where can I find kale in Paris?
We have a great #KaleSpotted Google Map. Have you seen kale at a market? Contribute by sending us a #KaleSpotted tip. We update our Kale Locator page frequently. Some of these restaurants have used kale at one point. Follow the Project on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for frequent and real-time updates.Back To Top
Where can I buy kale seeds?
More info here.Back To Top
How do I grow kale?
Download this document here. (In French)Back To Top
What is the season for kale?
Ideally, it is best to plant kale seeds from April – September when there is enough warmth and sunlight for germination. As it is a Brassica plant, you can have many succession plantings and can have kale almost year-round. For buying, you will find kale in most markets from August/September - March/April.Back To Top
What is kale?
Kale is a leafy-green vegetable and part of the cabbage family. The Latin name is Brassica oleracea. Relatives are green and red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and collard greens. There are a few others, but these are the most common. Curious about all cabbages? Check out my book on all things chou!Back To Top
What is kale in French?
This is the million-dollar question. There is not just one name for kale in French, which as you can imagine created confusion. When I started The Kale Project, I had no intention of forcing the Anglo name into French lexicon. I knew that with time, the French would take-on what name they wanted to. Now you can find it at markets and supermarkets as le chou kale. These are just a few of the many names for kale: Chou frisé: What kale was referred to as hundreds of years ago before it was lost and forgotten. Unfortunately, as kale is so lost, chou frisé is now what the French call Savoy Cabbage – which as mentioned above – is very different, so if you go to a marché or supermarché, you will just get that and not kale. In fact, I’ve been told that the ancient name of Savoy Cabbage was Chou de Milan. Chou frisé non-pomme: A more technical term as non-pomme refers to the fact that it’s chou frisé but without the head. This works of course and I have a French gardening book that uses this name but the issue is that the leave of Savoy Cabbage are so different from kale leaves. Chou plume: A poetic and gorgeous name that means feather cabbage. A few farmers are using this and I really really love it. If the French don’t want to use the Anglo name, I am all for chou plume. Feuilles de chou: Literally, leaves of cabbage. Sometimes I find French translations of English words to be just that. For example, dizzy is literally avoir la tête qui tourne as in to have the head that turns. Chou borécole: A name which pulls from the Dutch roots of kale as kale is referred to as boerenkool in the Netherlands. Chou frisé vert demi-nain: A direct translation to “curly-green half dwarf cabbage”! Quite the mouthful, no? No one actually says this, but it’s still been mentioned a few times. Chou à lapin or chou à vache: Literally, cabbage to rabbit or cabbage to cow since farmers might grow kale but just feed it to their livestock.Back To Top
Where does kale come from?
Kale is originally from the Mediterranean/Asia Minor and reading through a variety of sources, almost 4000 years old. It is considered one of the “older” cabbages and one of the original wild cabbages. It was brought to America in the 1600’s. Being a European vegetable, it is still common in most European countries like England, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy (dinosaur kale is the Italian variety), Scotland, Ireland and Sweden. In France you may find it along the road for decorative purposes. Until now!Back To Top
What’s the history of kale?
Aside from its origins, kale has always been an important staple in people’s diets during difficult times. This is mainly because it is so easy to grow and is resistant to cold temperatures so if things are bad, you kind of know that kale will most likely be around. Plus it’s high levels of – well everything – make it a valuable vegetable as well. It has a few different traditions depending on the country. In France, there is not clear answer as to when or how the French ate it but it was definitely at one time something that was grown and eaten. To the French, kale is part of the légume oublié category (lost & forgotten vegetables). And in fact kale is so lost and so forgotten (compared to parsnips or turnips or sunchokes) that many farmers did not know what it was! That’s not to say that in more rural parts of the country that people do not grow it in their gardens, but generally speaking, it was a very very forgotten vegetable. The assumption is that during WWI or WWII, kale fell out of fashion because it was all that people could eat and that in areas like Paris, the urban energy and lifestyle did not lend itself to eating kale. I find that reason hard to believe because you can still find savoy cabbage easily and everywhere – and the taste and texture of savoy cabbage comes nowhere close to kale. But that’s just me… the kale girl. In America, up until recently, kale was just a vegetable that hippies and vegans ate. You could find it at a food co-op or as a garnish at a restaurant. I grew up seeing kale on top of ice at restaurant salad bars wondering why what my mom actually cooked was just on the side. It was soul-food. The majority of Americans had no idea what it was… but you could still find it.Back To Top
What are the health benefits of kale?
Kale is full of almost everything you need! A simple Google search of “kale health benefits” will lead to an array of articles about the wonders of this “superfood.” …Iron. (Some say it’s the new beef!) …Calcium. (Did you know, more than a glass of milk?) …Vitamin C, K, A. (Just as much as carrots and more than any other vegetable!) …Anti-oxidants. (Cancer fighting!) …It is alkaline. (We all eat too much acidic food an our PH is way off balance.) …And fiber, fiber and more fiber. (We also eat way too little fiber which just is uncomfortable!) …An interesting article comparing the nutrients of Spinach vs. Kale (1 cup)Back To Top
How can I be involved?
Do you have a local producer that you want to grow kale for your market? Meet the TKP Kale Ambassadors and become one too!Back To Top