I went to a farmers market last weekend and found some organic cabbage. I immediately bought the last 3 heads with plans to turn them into canned kraut.  I love homemade kraut. At home I brought out the canning supplies and from memory began the process of preparing the cabbage for canning. A lot of my, “from memory” means that I hear my grandmother, “Big Mom” talking as I go through the process. I love spending an afternoon doing something that she taught me. I can hear her voice and smell her kitchen and most of all feel the love in every memory. Big Mom spent her life in southeast Kentucky. She was slow and deliberate in the way she moved and spoke, but every task was done well. Mindfulness comes to mind. She was the original in the practice, only she called it putting your mind to something. She taught me that you keep your hands busy and you waste nothing when it comes to food and resources. 

So on this afternoon I

1. Chopped 3 heads of cabbage (never grate)

2. Tightly pack a sterilized hot quart jar with the chopped cabbage.

3. with a  butter knife, make a well to add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of pickling salt.

4. pour boiling water into the jar, leave 1 inch head space.

5. use the knife to work all of the bubbles out of the jar.

6. clean the top of the jar and seal tightly.

7. set the jars away from the house. I have a friend that has allowed me to put these in his shed. Make sure that you have something under the jars as they will spill over when they are fermenting. When they have stopped fermenting they are ready to eat.

Thanks for the memory Big Mom.