Sauerkraut, sausage and mashed potatoes present a monochromatic dinner. Yet against all rules of successful meal service, generations of families have enjoyed just such a colorless plate. Descendants of Northern and Eastern Europeans begin to crave it as the days begin to shorten and nights get chilly. The genius of the menu is how delicious it is and how sensible its economy. And in modern households, sausage is appreciated for cooking quickly.
Cabbage is hardy, inexpensive and keeps well as sauerkraut.
Potatoes also are good keepers, as well as nutritious and filling. For families who relied on their gardens, this meal was high enough in vitamin C to keep them healthy through the winter until foods could be picked fresh again. For those of us who rely on supermarkets, these flavors are the ones that are familiar and comforting. Sauerkraut is a simple mixture of shredded cabbage, salt and sometimes salt water, that is left to ferment at ambient temperatures. Bacteria help the cabbage soften, change its color and make the flavor strong and piquant.