The cabbage harvest this year was especially abundant. It seemed conditions were right to produce more cabbage than ever before! The question is how can one save those bundles of summer sunshine for use in the winter.
Most cabbage will stay quite well for a number of months in a cold room or an extra fridge. Another way to benefit from the cabbage harvest all winter is to turn it into sauerkraut. For the most part, our generation has forgotten about the process of lacto-fermentation. But it is making a comeback. And it is about time, since it is one of the oldest preservation methods known to humankind.
The process is really quite simple. Cut up the cabbages into thin wedges or send them through a food processor. As you layer this cabbage in a large container, preferably a stone crock, sprinkle on a bit of salt and break open the cells of the cabbage with a “stomper.” Repeat this process until either your container is nearly full or you run out of cabbage. Then cover it with a large plate and place a weight on it. An alternative method is to simply pack chopped cabbage in a jar and cover with salt water. In either case your sauerkraut will be ready in two to three weeks.
About ten years ago Ruth and I invested in a special German “Gaertopf” complete with a water trough in which the lid fits to keep out unwanted bacteria and allow carbon dioxide to escape. Over the years we have experimented with adding other ingredients like grated carrots, peppers, onions, garlic and caraway seeds. So instead of buying salad greens all winter we have learned to enjoy a side serving of sauerkraut with almost any winter dish.
Centuries before modern studies proclaimed sauerkraut as an amazing health food, James Cook introduced it as a staple food for his sailors and found that it prevented scurvy on long sea voyages. Although he didn’t know it, we now know that was because of the high level of vitamin C in sauerkraut.
Further studies through the years have identified many health benefits to sauerkraut. It is an effective immune booster. It is also a cancer fighter. An interesting study of breast cancer rates among Polish-American women showed that they were much more likely to contract cancer than Polish women who had stayed in Poland and had continued to eat generous amounts of sauerkraut.
And sauerkraut is an amazing digestive aid, protecting the balance of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. It also helps to neutralize anti-nutrients found in many foods and facilitates the breakdown and assimilation of proteins.
Now if I have convinced you to introduce sauerkraut into your diet, be forewarned that much that passes for sauerkraut in the supermarket is simply cabbage soaked in vinegar and salt. If you buy sauerkraut, make sure that what you buy is “fermented” cabbage if you want to experience the health benefits listed above.
Better still, grow your own cabbage next year and save some summer sunshine for the dark winter months ahead.
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