Having corralled some of San Francisco’s wild yeast and soured my own crock of sauerkraut, it was time to move on to my next live food project: nukazuke. I was still a new convert to the Church of Fermentation, but a recent trip to Japantown helped immerse me completely.
Tim’s homemade pork sausage with prunes and Nancy’s bacon-studded potato salad made tasty companions to my apple-sweetened sauerkraut. The cabbage’s crisp tartness was an excellent foil for all that meaty goodness.
By the end of the afternoon, the crock was mostly empty. There’s a cup or two left, not quite enough for a choucroute garnie but plenty for a most satisfying Reuben sandwich. I love eating the pickled apple slices, too, and so will be sure to include them in future batches.
Tim “Blind Muscat” Patterson of Subterranean Cellars has called another bottling party. This time, there’ll be home-stuffed sausages on the grill. What was I going to bring? Hmmmm…I do believe there’s a little voice whispering “sauerkraut” into my ear….
It’s ridiculously easy to make, so if you plan to throw some bratwurst or beef franks on the grill this summer, I encourage you to try your hand at making homemade sauerkraut. All you need is a head of cabbage, a sprinkling of salt and a big jar. I promise that your first bite will be a revelatory experience and that your friends will be duly impressed.
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