Sauerkraut is a well known speciality of the Alsatian region and is an essential dish to be tasted during your visit to the region. Tasty and good for your health because it is rich in vitamin C, you can eat it without moderation!
Sauerkraut is a well known speciality of the Alsatian region and is an essential dish to be tasted during your visit to the region. Tasty and good for your health because it is rich in vitamin C, you can eat it without moderation!
And no, sauerkraut is not French! It is in Asia that it is born, on the construction site of the Chinese wall. The sour cabbage, which grows in spite of the snow, will become the staple food of the workers, sparing them from starvation. It is when the Huns arrive at the foot of this impressive set of fortifications that they discover this resistant plant and its method of preparation. During their conquests towards the west, they spread the recipe to Germany, Bavaria and then Alsace.
The name sauerkraut is derived from its German name "Sükrut" which literally means "sour cabbage". It was in the 16th century that the recipe really spread in Alsace with the popularisation of salt fermentation, which gave it its very particular taste. The Alsatians will then decorate their new favorite dish with other specialties of the region: charcuterie! The name "choucroute" became a dish that we can no longer imagine without it. By extension, the name "choucroute" will no longer refer only to the cabbage but to the whole cooked dish with its accompaniment.
A recipe that adapts
Prepared in a large pot, sauerkraut is a convivial and generous dish that suits all tastes. Indeed, if the cabbage is a fixed element in the preparation, its garnish varies. Composed of a choice of ham, smoked sausage, sausages, but also potatoes, onions, cloves or white wine, it is up to you to choose the recipe that best suits your desires!
To cook your own garnished sauerkraut, discover his recipe here.
Marie de Comme des Français
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Would you like to discover other Alsatian specialities?
- The pretzel
- Gingerbread
- The wine route
