abbage
and salt rises above the cabbage. Cover the kraut with a layer of
large, clean cabbage or grape leaves, then cover top with a clean
piece of muslin cloth, place a round, clean board on top and put a
well-scrubbed, heavy stone on the board to weight it down. Stand the
tub in a warm place several days, to ferment. When fermentation
begins, the liquor rises over the top of the board. Remove the scrum
which rises to top, in about six days, and stand in a cool part of the
cellar after washing stone and cloth with cold water, return to top of
kraut and in two weeks the sauer kraut will be ready to use. Should
the sauer kraut require extra liquid at any time, add one quart of
water in which has been dissolved two teaspoonfuls of salt. Squeeze
the sauer kraut quite dry when taking it from the brine to cook. Boil
about two quarts of the sauer kraut several hours with a piece of
fresh pork and a little water until the pork is thoroughly cooked
through, when the sauer kraut should be cooked tender.

Some prefer "frankfurters" cooked with the kraut instead of pork, and
others do not care for the German dish without the accompaniment of
drop dumplings. Serve mashed potatoes and simple dessert with sauer
kraut.

Aunt Sarah taught Mary to save the hearts of the cabbage usually
thrown aside when making sauer kraut. The hearts were trimmed all one
size, like small triangles. She cooked them in salted water until
tender, drained them and served with a cream dressing, and they had
much the flavor of a dish of cauliflower.

Frau Schmidt always placed several tart apples among her sauer kraut
when making it, and thought it improved the flavor of the kraut; gave
it a "winey" flavor, obtained in no other manner. A sour apple, cored
and cooked with sauer kraut is considered by some cooks an
improvement. The apple, of course, is not eatable. Aunt Sarah _never_
placed apples with her sauer kraut.

DUMPLINGS TO SERVE WITH SAUER KRAUT

For these dumplings, 1 egg was broken into a bowl and well beaten.
Then a pinch of salt was added and 1/2 cup of sweet milk. Enough flour
was added to make a soft dough, and one tablespoonful of baking powder
was sifted with a very little flour into the batter, then a little
more flour was added to make the dough the right consistency. Form the
dough into small balls, handling as little as possible. Drop on top of
the hot cooked "sauer kraut" in cook-pot on range and boil, closely
covered, about 20 m