Tales From the Kraut Keeper...

From the country...

Millie pounding the cabbage with her lil' fists (this helps to release the water from the cabbage for the brine)

Taking a look at her  work...

Tasting...

Quite possibly the most feared kitchen utensil- the mandolin (notice no safety feature...) used to slice the cabbage.

Time to wipe down the crock and make sauerkraut. Fermented foods are really nutritious and are super delicious! I personally love the zing of fermented cabbage. Fermenting foods not only preserve nutrients but breaks them down into a more digestible form. We have made to date fermented dill pickles, fermented vegetables and kraut.

"The process of fermenting foods- to preserve them and to make them more digestible and more nutritious-is as old as humanity."according to journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker and community activist, Sally Fallon.

We eat Sauerkraut with everything and on its own out of the jar/crock. I make it each fall to go along side our heartier meals (perogies, sandwiches, cheese trays- amazingly good in sausage on a bun!!).  

Sauerkraut is also a snap to make, you just need the time it requires to cut and beat the cabbage. Only salt and cabbage goes into this recipe, the rest is science!  Find the recipe here from the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz.

Genius!