Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Getting a Head


Gardeners come in all stripes from Prince Charles to Appalachian homesteaders. We all speak the same lingo and tend to find each other. People are part of your harvest. You grow your community. 


It was a lucky day for me when Louise here asked to see my vegetable plot.



She surveyed the sad state of affairs in the cabbage patch, "Water from the top," she commanded, "The leaves will close up."

I obeyed and so did they.


Look at this monster! A full fat head of cabbage. This is the first time I've planted cabbage and it is delicious. So sweet and flavorful. Entirely different than the store bought variety. Thank you, Louise! Now I can make sauerkraut.


I have a spanking new Harsch fermenting crock I've been dying to use.


Nutritionists are reporting that there are physiological benefits to eating fermenting foods. They contain the good bacteria we need in our gut for digestion. I already make my own yoghurt and sourdough starter for bread, so fermented cabbage is a next step. 

I actually abhor the Korean version, Kimchi, (and reconfirm this annually) but I came to love sauerkraut after living in Germany for a year.

Sauerkraut is fairly easy to make... with a little elbow grease. Cutting the cabbage is no picnic but punching it down in the crock was a good tension reliever. You sprinkle each layer with a little sea salt.



Sauerkraut needs three things: cabbage, sea salt and time.


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