In the New York Times today there is an article entitled All Kinds of Kale. The opening paragraph describes a farmer’s market stand that offered three different types of kale. In Saarbruecken, sadly, there is only one kind–solid green with frilly leaves.
Despite the lack of variety, I’m definitely enjoying the kale while it lasts. One dinner guest remarked “wow, you must really love kale.” I asked him why he said that and he said I had made it (in one guise or another) the last three times we had him over for dinner! What’s a girl to do when there’s no collards, beet greens, mustard greens, turnips greens, or watercress to be found?
I’m wondering know how long the kale will be around for? It seems like it showed up at the farmer’s market this year starting in November. In previous years I couldn’t find it after December, but this year it’s still available at the end of January—at the farmer’s market and City Basar and the Bio stores, but not at the regular supermarkets.
There’s another oddity about the German kale this year. Every time I’ve bought kale, no matter if it’s organic or not, the back of the leaves have been covered in white flies. (The little tiny ones that often infect houseplants.) I never once saw a single whitefly on kale (even organic kale) in the States. What’s going on?
If you don’t normally eat kale, I encourage you to give it a try. My favorite kale recipes are simple steamed kale with a tahini sauce and beans and greens with pasta. Kale is also quite good in enchiladas, and stir-fried with lots of garlic.
Great post! I love kale I often add it to soups especially a soup from Cameroon called Ndole, it is really delicious. Stop by and say hi, http://saltpepperbrilliant.wordpress.com/
Ah, I’ve been missing kale so much! My favorite is to lightly spray it with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt on it and bake it into kale chips. I haven’t been able to find it here; it must be the wrong season. I’m really missing it though. In the US, I would get it sometimes from the store and there would even be little wormy things on it. There were the little flies on it when I bought it from a farmer. I wonder if it’s just susceptible to those things?
I am REALLY missing kale chips! I haven’t been able to find it (except for frozen) here, either. I found it once last year, and the same thing happened- little white bugs all over the back! I bet they use a less harmful (and therefore less effective) type of spray when they grow it here vs the US.