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| Red Russian Kale |
Back in third grade, when prodded by my teacher, I probably
stood in front of the class and said, “My name is Laurie and I like llamas.”
When Kristen Beddard was a third grader, she introduced herself with, “My name
is Kristen and I like kale.”
And she still likes kale. When the Penn State grad moved to
Paris about a year ago, she searched the markets, grocers, and restaurants, and
couldn’t find her favorite vegetable!
Parisian Clotilde Dusoulier also lamented the lack, calling
kale “the most elusive ingredient of 2011”. I’ve mentioned Clotilde before. In 2003 she began writing Chocolate
& Zucchini e-newsletter (available in English and French), launching her
into the cookbook/food-writing world.
What a difference a year and Kristen made.
Kristen started The Kale Project to get French farmers and
chefs to embrace kale as a delicious and nutritious vegetable, not just a decorative
plant. On September 20, Verjus
restaurant in Paris had a “coming out” party for kale. Terroirs d ‘Avenir is now distributing kale
to Parisian restaurants and green grocers, and Kristen is trying to get a
British seed house to supply kale seeds to French growers.
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| Black Tuscan Kale |
It’s not often that we have one over on the French in the
culinary scene, so I’m loving this story!
And, as all of you Fleur-de-Lys readers know, I love my kale leaves,
whether tossed with potatoes or roasted into Kale Crisps. Autumn is kale
season, with frosty nights sweetening the leaves and killing off all those
nasty cabbageworms. As always, I have quite the kale forest planted, and this
fall I’m going to expand my repertoire and try using the stalks as a braised
vegetable. Laurie Lynch
Missing You: I’d
love to sit with each of your over a cup of coffee…so I decided on the
next-best thing. I took my camera on my
weekend bike ride and respite at Café Lemont, and created this photo essay for
you.
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| Bike & Brew |
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| The beauty across the street |
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| I'd paint the ceiling sky blue |
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| "My" chair and mug |
Written on Slate:
Barn’s burnt down –
now
I can see the moon. –
Masahide
Borrowed from a wonderful little book called “The Buddha in
the Attic” by Julie Otsuka, which was recommended by a reading and walking
buddy from Kutztown.
