Kraut update

I used to ride in the Saint Paul Classic.  That tradition was an early casualty of my decision that riding with large numbers of my fellow citizens was not safe.  It is on for tomorrow and today I rode over to the course to just kind of look around.  I rode down to the top of the Wheelock Parkway hill and started following the course back towards Como Park and the Fairgrounds.  I was surprised that it took me more than a mile to come to one of these official notices that the ride is tomorrow.

This affects me not at all as not only will I not be riding in the bike tour I won't be trying to find a place to park anywhere along the route and in fact given that tomorrow is Sunday I may not even be leaving the house at any time that qualifies as A.M.

But along the route I came across the previously featured Como streetcar route bridge.  This has been reconstructed this year and as of today all indications are that the project has been completed.

The bike tour doesn't actually ride over, or for that matter, under the bridge.  It comes down the path leading off to the photo right just on the other side of the bridge and then turns right leading out through those trees visible photo center.

The big news here today, though, is the major expansion of my kraut franchise.

WARNING SHARP BLADES!

I made sauerkraut last year using that shredder deal that very many people already have in their kitchen, the one on the back side of that four sided thing that we all sometimes use to shred cheese or orange peel.  It worked OK but I am serious about this sauerkraut thing.  I like kraut and I am determined to make my own.  Last year I bought a fermenting crock, this year I got a REAL cabbage shredder.

I can testify that it is certainly possible to shred enough cabbage with one of those kitchen utensils to make kraut.  This deal is going to make it a lot more efficient.

That deal on the right is my kraut tamper.  Usually early in the process you have to tamp down the shredded cabbage so that the liquid which weeps out of the shreds will cover the whole business, a step which is necessary to be certain that the all important fermentation will occur.

Last year I made enough kraut to learn the basic steps.

This year I am going to try to make kraut at least one step above beginner kraut.

WARNING SHARP BLADES!