Saurkraut - Day 0

The inaugural run of saurkraut has been started. Once we got through all the sanitizing procedures it was even kind of fun.

Because we can't do anything new at a reasonable scale we began with 4 heads of cabbage totaling 17.52 pounds, and after removing the outer leaves and core it was probably down 2 or 3 pounds. This was shredded (thank goodness for salad shooters) and liberally mixed with kosher salt, about 13-15 tablespoons we think.
We didn't think to photograph the cabbage heads at the beginning, but here's everything shredded and salted and packed into the crock. It takes up less space than we expected, but honestly it's still more than we know what to do with. Planning ahead ftw.
And here is Shade beside the 6 gallon-ish crock for scale. This was before he decided that cabbage was not made of pork or cheese and therefore beneath his notice.

The cabbage is now weighted down with a plate and a gallon ziplock containing salt water; by tomorrow night it should have released enough water to submerge itself in brine. The crock has been lidded and placed under Banik's desk where the AC register will keep it relatively cool during the pickling process.

My hands smell like cabbage and bleach, and I think it's time for bed.

SaurKraut

The Real Stuff

Well, this weekend, while on the way to the Round-Hill Highland Games, we stopped at a yard sale. At this yard sale we found three items.

Item the First: A silver tea box with a lion engraved on it. enLethe liked this a lot, so we got it. What will we use it for? Probably put Splenda packets out in the open- they'll look a lot nicer.

Item the Second: A Carnival glass bowl. It's a smokey, silvery glass, with a nice iridescent sheen in blues, purples, and reds. It has a rose motiff, and 3 legs. It's nice. I think the patterns is called, "Imperial Open Rose."

Item the Third: An earthenware crock. It must be at least 5 gallons, with a lid. A small chip or two hidden on the underside of the lid. Great condition, otherwise.


So, the plan? Take the 4 giant heads of cabbage we just happen to have and make some home made, real, live saurkraut.

Let's see if it'll be tasty!

Here are three possible source-recipes:

Alton Brown
Wild Fermentation
Random

pancakes

Every year we go through the agonizing cycle of "What to get Kris for Xmas." I don't particularly want anything, I say not to get my anything or to make a donation somewhere, and then I get things that I have to figure out how to give away.

Now, if you can figure out what makes that stormtrooper pancake, however, that would be a good gift. I'd keep it forever. Not that Darth Vader pancake, mind you; that one is ugly and only there for the novelty of it. Just the stormtrooper one. Please.