When people purchase a jar of our sauerkraut, they’re baffled with all the colors. I watch as their eyes go to the label, scan the ingredients, and wonder out loud, “How am I going to serve this and with what?” I’m thankful they share this concern, because I have the opportunity to tell them what I’m going to tell you.
First off, today’s sauerkraut is not your mother’s sauerkraut. Much of the kraut that is purchased at cooperatives, specialty stores, or at a Whole Foods Market are made in small batches, fermented for 2-10 weeks, flavored with other fermented vegetables and spices, and contain healthy bacteria numbered in the trillions. The limp sauerkraut that your mother bought at the local grocery store was loaded with vinegar, canned, and had a shelf life of 3-5 years. (It would be best to not mention its nutrient value here.) She probably served it with dumplings made with a pre-mixed baking mix, that also had a long shelf life and sausage that she bought at a meat shop. It was good eating, from what we hear, but not very nutritious.
If you’d like something with more nutrition, we would like to recommend that you eat our kraut right out of the jar or add a forkful or two on your plate at every meal. We do this ourselves and it’s hard to imagine a meal without it. If that doesn’t appeal to you, how about trying our kraut with a sandwich, a wrap, or even tacos. Our Latin American sauerkraut would be excellent for any of these. And lastly, if you want to cook your kraut in a meal, like your mom used to serve, we suggest you try the sausage and sauerkraut dish on our recipe page. This meal has flavor to spare, contains fresh ingredients, and would easily win your mother’s seal of approval.