Sauerkraut: How It All Began

The first sauerkraut was made in China, about 2,000 years ago, during the building of the Great Wall, that 1,500-mile structure across Asia. The coolies who built the wall subsisted on rice and a type of cabbage pickled in wine.

One thousand years later, Genghis Khan plundered China and brought back the recipe for pickled cabbage. In time, his hordes transported it to Europe.

The Germans took to the cabbage-pickling idea and by the 16th Century, had learned to omit the wine. The process of fermenting cabbage with salt alone was born. In fact, sauerkraut means "sour cabbage" in German.

The tangy, aromatic and toothsome treat became the darling of seafaring men. Since it kept well without refrigeration, barrels of it (once Captain James Crook ordered 25,000 pounds of "sour krout" to outfit two ships) were taken along on lengthy voyages. As a bonus, the high level of vitamin C found in sauerkraut was responsible for preventing scurvy, the dreaded disease of those who spent considerable time traveling the ocean.

In the new world, the German immigrants who became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, made sauerkraut a cornerstone of American cuisine. Every well-appointed home had its sauerkraut crock, and took pride in its quality.

Today's sauerkraut, made under controlled conditions with specially selected cabbages, is a vegetable that satisfies in every department: it caters to our growing need for convenience and versatility, while providing zesty flavor and crunchy texture with no fat and few calories. It is economical, and can be purchased in cans, jars or polybags, either "au natural," cured in wine or seasoned with caraway, celery seed or other seasonings. There's even a ready-to-eat sauerkraut salad made with onions and red peppers. These variations in style and flavor make it easy to add kraut to salads, sandwiches, marinades and even stir frys.

It's a long way from the Great Wall of China, but our oldest fast food is still one of the best.

Copyright ©1999 - - Created by Family Features Online Services