Just a few weeks ago, Ruth and I harvested a dozen large,
organically-grown cabbages from our garden.
Most of those cabbages ended up as sauerkraut. For the most
part, our generation has forgotten about this wonder-food. But last year, Ruth
and I made our first attempt to re-discover lacto-fermentation, 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.
Within 24 hours the natural juices will have covered the
cabbage and the fermentation process will be underway. After about six weeks,
when the juices have been reabsorbed into the cabbage, you will know that your
sauerkraut is ready. Then it is a matter of placing the sauerkraut in clean
jars and storing them in a cool place. And bingo – you are set for the winter.
Even before modern studies have proclaimed fermented
sauerkraut as an amazing health food, James Cook introduced it as a staple food
for his sailors and found that it helped to prevent the plague of the seas;
namely scurvy. He didn’t know exactly why it worked, but later studies showed
that it was because of the high level of vitamin C in sauerkraut.
Further studies through the years have identified many
health benefits to sauerkraut. For starters, it is an immune booster. The
common cold and flu, skin problems, weight gain and tainted blood can all be
fixed with a healthy immune system.
Sauerkraut 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 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.
So this is the second winter in which we will be eating
sauerkraut three or four times a week as a side-dish to whatever else we eat.
We find it goes amazingly well with most dishes.
Now if I have convinced you to eat sauerkraut and you head
to the supermarket to buy some, be forewarned that much
that passes for sauerkraut is simply cabbage soaked in vinegar and salt. Make
sure that what you buy is “fermented” cabbage if you want to experience the
benefits listed above.
Better still, grow your own cabbage next year and make your
own sauerkraut. And save some summer sunshine for the dark winter months.
Jack Heppner
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