FYI - UnAlien Lifeforms

A couple of friends have advocated making homemade sauerkraut. The Gardner farms of Woodruff Arizona can brag of a "farmer outstanding in his field" of organically grown food. The farmer’s wife, Gg invited me to make kraut and it was an alien experience, although I have learned many impressive things about sauerkraut in the last several months.

The variety of foods in the cabbage family are said to inhibit the growth of several types of cancer due to phytochemicals called indoles. A study using cabbage juice determined that it is a healing remedy for peptic ulcers since it contains VITAMIN U - whoever heard of that one?!

Studies claim that sauerkraut is even more healthy to consume than its raw predecessor. Sauerkraut JUICE, a limited factor in the production of kraut not only can be used as a gastroregulator for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, from diarrhea to constipation, ulcers, bronchitis and various other digestive and respiratory diseases and disorders, anemia. Its most popular use in the regions where it's produced has always been as a major remedy against hangover, since it not only drives away the headache, but it also neutralizes the effects of alcoholic intoxication on the stomach and intestinal mucosa and cleans the liver. Drinkers: Stock up on the real juice.

I brought my crock of Gardner cabbage and salt home, set it on the counter and waited..... It was like an alien visitor sitting in its squatty pot, making gurgling noises. Actually, it was quiet, but it was also over-full and it piddled on the counter, bubbling a briny liquid which dehydrated into a more alien looking presence in the kitchen. Amazing also, that it doesn't smell unless mold gets onto the top of the kraut. If one is not careful to keep the kraut in an oxygen-free condition, it will grow a colorful mass of what one kraut-meister calls "bloom" which is scraped off. Yum!

An amazing fact is that the kraut and juice can be added to almost food, sandwich, dessert, soup, salad and more. An important element of homemade sauerkraut is that it is raw and un-pasteurized, vinegar-less and contains naturally occurring digestive enzymes and beneficial probiotic bacteria – very beneficial. I don’t know what probiotics look like, but they may resemble intra-terrestrial alien lifeforms that circulate in your intestine looking for the next healthy party. Woo Hoo!