Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles & Relishes

Book excerpt: Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles and Relishes is the book that teaches you how to lead a healthier and longer life. There has never been a greater consumer awareness about the food we eat. Our lifestyle has changed, we sit in front of computers or televisions hours every day, nibbling on potato chips and high caloric snacks. We cook less at home as in most cases we warm up commercially prepared foods that we buy in a local supermarket. Consumers are more educated now and are increasingly aware of the link between fat intake, excess weight and heart disease. The benefits of a diet rich in vegetables are well known. Unfortunately, most commercially produced foods are heated and that step eliminates many of the beneficial bacteria, vitamins and nutrients which are so needed by our body. We end up eating a product with a familiar flavor, but with little nutritional value. However, the majority of the healthiest vegetables can be fermented without involving thermal processing. This will not only preserve the original value of the nutrients, but will increase the count of beneficial bacteria, changing the character of the vegetable to a probiotic. Probiotics contain live microorganisms thought to be healthy for the host organism. The best example is sauerkraut which was crucial to the survival of people in harsh winters in Northern Europe. Once its benefits were better understood, it was required to be on board of every sea going vessel, whether commercial or the Royal Navy. This daily serving of sauerkraut had eliminated scurvy disease and saved the lives of countless seamen. What must be stressed here is that only fermented and uncooked sauerkraut exhibits those beneficial characteristics. Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles and Relishes explains in simple terms the fermentation process, making brine, pickling and canning. There is a thorough discussion of the necessary equipment, as well as plans for building your own fermenting containers. You will discover how easy it is to make perfect sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, chutneys and relishes at home. There is a collection of recipes which were chosen for their originality and educational value. Those recipes plus the description of the processes will enable the reader to understand the subject well enough to create his own recipes.