Sauerkraut--Sweet Memories

About author / Victoria Wesseler

Healthy eating advocate; master gardener; local food expert. Even veggie haters love her recipes.

When you meet a man in his early 40s, he usually comes with baggage. By then, we all have some. But when I met Robert, he didn't have any baggage. Instead, he had crocks. Huge gray crocks.

My husband grew up on a family farm in southern Indiana. His family was German and every year they made sauerkraut. It was an activity that my husband recalled with great affection. Robert, his mother and father would spend an entire day shredding green cabbage and stuffing it into the large gray crocks that had been in his family for generations. He and his dad would pound the shredded cabbage, which was layered with salt, with their closed fists to help release the cabbage's juice to enhance the preservation process. His mom would then pour a bit of white vinegar into the crocks and cover the top with large cabbage leaves. The final step was placing a large plate over the cabbage leaves, which was then weighted down with a heavy rock. After 6-8 weeks, the sauerkraut was ready for use in preparing one of Robert's favorite childhood dishes--sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and hot dogs.

The first year that we were married, we tried to make sauerkraut. We didn't seal the crocks properly and they sat, fermenting, for two days while we were both out of town on business trips. As fate would have it, I arrived home first to a garage that needed to be aired out for days. We never made sauerkraut again. That was 12 years ago. After that, I was happy to buy my sauerkraut at the supermarket while the crocks were permanently retired.

Last fall some new friends invited us to their annual sauerkraut making party. Recalling our experience with that activity, I thought it would be best to turn down the invitation. But once Robert found out we had been invited, he happily rescued and dusted off the crocks!

At the party, Robert shredded and pounded the cabbage. After several hours, I turned to see him wiping his face with his shirt sleeve. He looked at me and smiled, "Boy, that cabbage really goes straight to your eyes." Maybe so, but I really think it went straight to his heart.

The sauerkraut we made that day was absolutely delicious. We have enjoyed it in so many ways, including this healthy remake of the classic Reuben sandwich.

Serves/Makes: 2

• 4 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
• 6 ounces sliced turkey breast
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained (rinsed in cold water and patted dry, if preferred)
• 2 slices low fat Swiss cheese

***Russian Dressing***

• 3/8 cup no fat mayonnaise
• 1/8 cup chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon no fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
• 1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained