Fermentation! - Sauerkraut - Mom's Recipe

I was going to do a post on fermentation today, but then my Mom sent me a couple pictures of her Paleo adventures.  We'll go over the benefits of fermentation, and then get to the pictures.

Fermentation Benefits

There's been a lot news lately about fermentation, including an article in the New York Times.Basically, fermented foods help maintain our digestive health, which prevents disease and other afflictions.  If you want to read more (and you should), check the articles below.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/18/mcbride-and-barringer-interview.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/opinion/lets-add-a-little-dirt-to-our-diet.html

Mom's Sauerkraut in an authentic Red Wing #2 Crock

Sauerkraut is quite easy to make.  Chop up cabbage.   Smash it up.   Add water.  Add salt.  Wait at least 5 days, maybe up to 3 weeks.  In my case, I made fermented vegetables, and I knew they were getting close to ready when Lucy showed interest in the smell.

Hey - where's the smelly stuff?

If you don't know the history of Red Wing Pottery, check the Wikipedia article.

Fermentation Recipes

Here's a good source of additional fermentation recipes:

http://fermentationrecipes.com/

Based on the above, this was my original recipe:  Brussel sprouts, carrots, garlic, shallots and water... Took about 5 days for it to "cook".  Then you just transfer it to the refrigerator and eat it for snacks or as part of your meal.