Sauerkraut Revisited

A little while back, I posted a long-winded story about this cookbook I'd discovered called The Lost Art of Real Cooking.  Unfortunately, the library is fairly strict about due dates and late charges and whatnot, so in order to maintain my book-borrowing privileges, I reluctantly gave The Lost Art back to its rightful owners.  But even though I don't actually have the red-covered pages in my hands any longer, I have something just as special, a memento of our time together, if you will, in my refrigerator.

Sauerkraut.

Does that not sound special to you?  Well, I, my friends, have fallen as hard for this fermented cabbage as I did for The Lost Art itself.  Textured with a crunchy bite, zesty with the spice of Thai chilis, and full of that distinctive sauer- flavor that makes this dish what it is...  I still have a difficult time believing that the raw cabbage shreds I immersed in salty water and put away in the cabinet actually transformed into this party starter (put some in your mouth, and you'll see what I mean).

From the Bookshelf: "The Lost Art of Real Cooking"

 
I feel like I spend quite a bit of time explaining my obsessions in this space.  One week I'm going on about my total lust for peaches, the next I'm writing feverishly about cannellini beans.  Roasted peppers, duck eggs and pumpkin pie... the list of comestibles that get my juices flowing is a long one, friends.  I'll risk stating the obvious here by saying that my particular brand of obsessions and compulsions are centered around the edible. 

On a related note, I'm also incredibly infatuated with my Seattle Public Library card.  I paid a whopping zero dollars for this sleek, rectangle of blue and white plastic, and with it, I hold the power.  (Not to be confused with He-Man who has 'the power').  What is this gibberish I'm talking?  I'm speaking of the incredible benefits there are to using the public library.  I can get books, music, magazines, and movies there, and you know what? It's free!  Well, except when the late fees start to rack up. The library even allows me the privilege of placing holds on books from any branch in the system which are then sent to my neighborhood branch for easy pickup.  Are you kidding me?  How f-ing rad is that?