Sauerkraut report,,,

[Ecnerwal]

Some months ago I mentioned that was making sauerkraut (first time out for me.) I like the stuff, but dislike cabbage. As it puttered along, I had some concern that it might be the case that I liked "commercial sauerkraut" as opposed to the real thing.

It having been long enough, I find that I like the real thing just fine.

I like the stuff made with red cabbage just as well, plus it's amusing.

While apples may be a traditional addition in some places and seemed like a great idea, I notice essentially no difference in taste for fully fermented sauerkraut whether it has apples (about 25% to 75% cabbage) or does not - which makes me disinclined to put the effort of processing the apples and the apples themselves into future batches (though I probably will try carrots in a batch sometime.) There are more useful things to do with apples and the effort of processing them. They might make more of a difference for folks that are not really making sauerkraut (short-time fermenters) but the long-term is needed to get proper sauerkraut flavor on the cabbage side. Shredding a bit more cabbage is easier and cheaper.

Next year I may actually grow cabbage and brussels sprouts (I have not made the experiment yet, but I'm guessing that sprouts will also be improved to my palate as sauersprouts.)

[George Shirley]

Watched Alaska the Last Frontier last night. The homesteaders were making fermented vegetables, looked like cabbage, carrots, and other root vegetables being shredded and going into the mix. Might be worth a try.

I'm not overly fond of sauerkraut but the wife is, so will probably make another batch this winter. But, then, it may be the bratwurst she eats with the kraut vs the kraut itself. She is of German descent on her father's side but the Limey side pops up occasionally too.

My ancestors mostly ate whatever they could catch or kill so I'm mostly a meat guy with vegetables as something you eat because the doctor says so. May be why I have heart disease and strokes but, what the hell, at my age I figure I don't have a lot of time left anyway. Especially after smoking for over forty years.

If you like it, do it. I hear on those TV doctor shows that fermented vegetables are good for you. Why do they never say chocolate and ice cream are good for you?

[Ecnerwal]

Well, "they" actually do say that about dark chocolate (and then backpedal about the sugar that makes it palatable); and I think there are a lot of pseudo-sciencey claims made for fermented vegetables that merely raise the background noise (though providing a home-grown source of vitamin C is a good reason for Alaskans to put some up...If that show is actually Alaskans in Alaska, given a large lack of reality in reality shows and doubly for ones about Alaska.)

I do, indeed, make it because I like to eat it. And I'll try carrots because I think they might end up tasty - but then, I thought that for apples, and while tasty, they taste much like the cabbage they are with does at the end, without seeming to change how that tastes much .vs. no apples.