Cooking Cabbage Sour-krout

Cabbage when boiled with salt pork, as it is mostly used, is the food

for strong and healthy digestive powers; but when eaten in its raw

state, served with vinegar and pepper, it is considered one of the most

easily digested articles of diet. In the process of cooking, even with

the greatest care, a large portion of the sweetness is lost. The length

of time required to cook cabbage by boiling varies with the quality,

those of the best quality requiring about twenty minutes, while others

require an hour. In cooking put it into boiling water in which a little

salt and soda has been sprinkled, which will tend to preserve the

natural green color. It will be well to change the water once. The

peculiar aroma given out by cabbage when cooking is thought to depend

somewhat on the manner in which it is grown; those having been raised

with the least rank manure having the least. I think this is one of the

whims of the community. By using some varieties of boilers all steam is

carried into the fire, and there is no smell in the house.



To Pickle, select hard heads, quarter them, soak in salt and water

four or five days, then drain and treat as for other pickles, with

vinegar spiced to suit.



For Cold Slaw, select hard heads, halve and then slice up these halves

exceedingly fine. Lay these in a deep dish, and pour over vinegar that

has been raised to the boiling point in which has been mixed a little

pepper and salt.



Sour-Krout. Take large, hard-headed drumheads, halve, and cut very

fine; then pack in a clean, tight barrel, beginning with a sprinkling of

salt, and following with a layer of cabbage, and thus alternating until

the barrel is filled. Now compact the mass as much as possible by

pounding, after which put on a well-fitting cover resting on the

cabbage, and lay heavy weights or a stone on this. When fermented it is

ready for use. To prepare for the table fry in butter or fat.



The outer green leaves of cabbages are sometimes used to line a brass or

copper kettle in which pickles are made in the belief that the vinegar

extracts the coloring substance (chlorophyl) in the leaves, and the

cucumbers absorbing this acquire a rich green color. Be not deceived by

this transparent cheat, O simple housewife! the coloring matter comes

almost wholly from the copper or brass behind those leaves; and, instead

of an innocent vegetable pigment, your green cucumbers are dyed with the

poisonous carbonate of copper.