SC - Sour Cabbage Soup?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Hullo, the list!

Regarding sour cabbage soup as an ingredient --

After a bell went off in my head, I went and looked for the relevant
passage in Paul Kovi's "Transylvanian Cuisine". It says:

"NOTE: Cibere, the fine cracked wheat or sour bran soup, has a
characteristic  and unique taste. It is also rich in various vitamins.
It is prepared in the following way, according to an ancient
Transylvaniahn recipe: in a large jar or clay pot (about 10 quarts),
combine 1 pound cracked wheat and 1/2 cup fresh corn. Add 1 slice of
brown bread, 2 or 3 slices of lemon, and one sour cherry tree twig (with
leaves). Add 5 quarts boiling water, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cover
jar or pot and keep in a warm place, being careful to stir it at least
two more times in the next 2 hours. After 24 hours, the cracked wheat
will become sour. Strain, pour into smaller jars, and keep in a cold
place for 8 days. Always retain a cupful of the mixture to use as a
fermentation starter for the next batch. "

Now, there's apparently a similar preparation of soured milk, which is
boiled until semi-solid and then stored in jars, used similarly to
flavor soups and stews. We needn't get into how "ancient" this recipe
is, with its use of what appears to be maize, etc.

Given that in both cases there appears to be some kind of lactobacilic
fermentation going on, as there is also with sauerkraut, which is also
fairly common in Rumanian cookery, and also given that modern Russian
Jews sometimes eat a soup called schav, which is nowadays often made
with sorrell, but which I have been told used to be made with cabbage, I
wonder if the cabbage version of schav is what the author of the
Domestroi is talking about. A friend of mine of Russian Jewish ancestry
disdainfully told me, "So my ancestors used to drink rancid sauerkraut
juice. Whaddaya want from me?"

Speculative, yes, but I wonder...

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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