What did I see at Whole Foods? It was sauerkraut, but there was a word

M

marilynfl

Moderator
in front of it like couq..xxxx ...or something like that. I remember that it reminded me of "croque madame."

It was in the cheese section, prepackaged in a clear deli container, priced $4 a pound.

The thing is: it looked like plain old sauerkraut. I couldn't see any spices or additives, so I can't figure out what the extra word in front meant. Maybe it translated to raw? Or maybe it translated to "If we put a fancy word on the label--even if we made it up by dumping out letters from a Scrabble game and putting them together--we can charge an extra $3 per pound because we're Whole Foods and we can get away with that?"

Also, does anyone know about sauerkraut helping your immune system? My Ukrainian grandmother used to eat it all the time and she lived a good, long life. On the other hand, she also drank a small glass of whiskey everyday, so there's that.

 
But choucroute garnie should have had meat in it. I wonder if it was choucroute maison (home-made)

 
Marilyn, about the sauerkraut: . . .

Fresh, *unpasteurized* yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, fermented veggies all contain live, beneficial bacteria that some claim will better your health if you eat them regularly. I feel it can't hurt you, and you might like it, and variety is good.

 
to answer your other question, sauerkraut is indeed a superfood

that has historically been used as a remedy for some illnesses and in modern times touted for its "probiotic" qualities etc. I have heard it associated with (as remedy) things like intestinal problems, brain fog, lowering cholesterol...

I make my own a few times a year in a fermenting crock. While I prefer my own home-made to all others, I did try the one they had at Whole Foods a couple of years back and it was really excellent. I don't know if it is the same that is in your store (probably no coincidence that it is Oktober) but the version that I had was very crisp and light with very low acidity and little saltiness. Reminded me more of a fresh salad than a fermented product.

 
humm, I have a huge Napa cabbage just sitting in the frig. Can I use that? Or does

it have to be the thicker, coarser basic green cabbage?

 
you can definitely use it. what method will you be using?

I've also used the red/purple cabbage which will give you this really vibrant color. Kimchi uses napa cabbage which is like a korean style sauerkraut. I used this recently in some home made egg rolls.

 
Sure you can! I have tasted: . . .

Kraut from napa, savoy, red, standard big-head green, and *lettuce* kraut.

Just about any veg can be fermented to preserve it. The simplest way takes the veg (chopped, shredded or sliced), a certain amount of salt by weight, a clean crock, clean water and something to keep the veg under the solution created by the veg's reaction with the salt.

BTW, the lettuce kraut that I tasted , oh, somtime in 1996 was good, slightly sour, just a little salted and quite like a mild, fresh lettuce salad (just like pmassel said above. Good stuff.

 
What Paul said. I have a 5 gal crock of sauerkraut "working" right now

I have used Napa Cabbage before but I prefer the plain green cabbage- it is sturdy as the German immigrants that made it on the Prairie smileys/smile.gif I absolutely LOVE homemade sauerkraut. The only thing I don't adore is the smell as it ferments.

 
And a further comment for Marilyn

If you are going to buy sauerkraut, try for the refrigerated kind- not the canned kind. Wash it to take a lot of the sour away. I cook it with white wine, chicken broth and herbs- I roast it with Pork to give extra flavor. Just plain fabulous stuff. But if you just try to eat it heated out of a package you won't like it.

 
Try Hawaiian style kim chee (this is what they call it here; it's brought in from Hawaii) . . .

If you can get it. It is made with red chile, but really is not very hot at all, but it is delicious. I think I buy Joe Kim's Kimchee (Won Bok) and it is fresh and still fermenting; The note on the lid tells you this and warns you to open the jar over a sink so as to avoid a mess! I love that stuff!

 
agreed. I never liked sauerkraut until I had the good stuff

Bubbies is a Canadian brand that I see in a lot more supermarkets now and it is in the refrigerator section in a jar. It is good and all natural. It won't be as good has your home made though.

 
I use a fermenting crock every once in a while it "passes" some gas out of

a ring of water that keeps it sealed. You don't really notice the smell. However every once in a while you hear a little "ploop" and people in the vicinity look around with a mix of the "I didn't do it" look and accusatory gazes.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top