Sausage Sampler
with Sauerkraut and German Potato Salad
One of the things we look forward to in Leavenworth is eating sauerkraut. We rarely eat it at home, with the exception of using it to top a hotdog at a local baseball game. But when we get to Leavenworth it only takes one whiff of sauerkraut in the air coming from one of the several restaurants serving German cuisine and we’re planning when we’ll get our first bite. And if you walk by Munchen Haus when you’re hungry? ….Forget about it!
What is sauerkraut?
sau·er·kraut/ˈsou(ə)rˌkrout/
Noun: Chopped cabbage that has been pickled in brine.
“Sauerkraut is a great source of iron, vitamin K and vitamin C, which is another reason it was popular on seafaring vessels. It also helps the good bacteria in your body stay healthy and, in turn, keep you healthy. It is a great food for people taking antibiotics to eat because the medicine kills both good and bad bacteria.” – eHow.
Many cultures have a traditional dish prepared similarly. These include:
- In Korea kimchi
- In Japan tsukemono
- In China suan cai
- In the Philippines atchara
“Sauerkraut is made by a process of pickling called lacto-fermentation that is analogous to how traditional (not heat-treated) pickled cucumbers and kimchi are made. Fully-cured sauerkraut keeps for several months in an airtight container stored at or below 15 °C (59 °F). Neither refrigeration nor pasteurization is required, although these treatments prolong storage life.” Wikipedia
Read more: Is Sauerkraut Healthy? | eHow.com
101 ways to eat sauerkraut
- On a brat!
- A little bit with each bit of whatever bit you’re eating
- With scrambled eggs
- A sweet sauerkraut with pork roast
- With a dollop of fancy mustard
- Mit Deutsche Kartoffelsalat (potato salad)
- Mixed up with spatzle
- On a corned beef sandwich
- On dark Bavarian rye bread
- Straight from the jar
- On pizza
- Twirl vs slurp?
- On waffles
- Maybe a sauerkraut milkshake?
- Under mushroom sauce
- With onions
- Under melted Swiss cheese
- Winekraut and Schweinshax’n
And the list goes on! Read more about Sauerkraut and other delightful culinary surprises in Leavenworth, Washington on our Eat page. For all your sauerkraut and braunschweiger cravings, check out our German Food page, a directory of restaurants serving up traditional Bavarian fare. Several restaurants in Leavenworth feature live music once or more each week. If sauerkraut and brats just aren’t the same without an Oompah band playing, check out our Bands and Live Music page, a directory of live music all over Leavenworth.
What’s your favorite way to eat sauerkraut? Have you tried any unusual recipes using the fermented cabbage?
