SC - period suerkraut?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Brett and Karen Williams wrote:

> It is possible that the dish we know as sauerkraut is far older a
> technique than we can document, as is the general technique of
> salt/brine pickling. Without that documentation, though, a supposition
> remains a supposition.

True. For what it's worth, though, I understand that it is possible to
make sauerkraut without salt, under the right conditions. Apparently, in
relately cool but humid conditions (say, in a cellar in Germany) you can
press your shredded cabbage with a board and a weight, and it will exude
enough juice without the salt to begin lactic fermentation. Adding salt
may have been considered an improvement over this technique, but my
guess is that we'll never know.
> 
> So, Master Adamantius-- think you the reason Rome ventured north into
> the Teutonic/Germanic barbarian areas might possibly have been
> acquisition of those mines?

It couldn't hurt ;  )  !   Actually, the reason generally stated is that
Northern barbarians had invaded and sacked Rome more than once during
the days when Rome was a kingdom, and during the early Republic. Rome
claimed therefore to have a vested interest in civilizing the land North
from Rome to at least the Rhine, and preferably to the North Sea.

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================