Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-11-11
ALAS AND ALACK!
SAUERKRAUT HIGH
PRESENT PRICE GREATER THAN
AT ANY TIME DURING
SIX YEARS PAST.
BIG SHORTAGE OF CABBAGE
CROP GIVEN AS THE
CAUSE.

Lovers of the dainty German dish
called sauerkraut will find, as the
season grows older, that they may
have some trouble getting the deli
cacy which adorns so many tables.
and that when they do get it, they
will have to nay more than at any
time in six years. This calamitous
fact stares lovers of the delicacy
squarely in the face. There is a
sauerkraut shortage, or rather a cab
bage shortage, which virtually means
a sauerkraut shortage. and as a re.
suit the price has greatly advanced
this fall and may go even higher.
According to local dealers, the
present price even goes above the
high mark of 1905, by two or three
dollars. The immediate cause of this
shortage is the failure of the cabbage
crop. Whereas in former years cab
'bage could be bought for five cents
per head, they are now quoted at
six and seven cents per head and
even at that price dealers almost are
unable to get enough to supply the
demand. The result Is that makers
of kraut are paying good rates for
cabbage and are charging a stir
price for the kraut when 1t is made.
According to statistics furnished by
a local kraut dealer. the article is
seven dollars higher this year than it
was last and about six dollars higher
than in 1903. In that year lovers of
the delicacy thought they were pay.
Ing a good price when they were com.
PEELED to pay $3.50 and $500 per
barrel, but what do they think this
year, when just ordinary kraut is
selling for s13? And in Chicago a day
or two ago as high as $25 was offered
for carload lots of kraut The stats,
ties OF prices for the past six years
show that in 1903 kraut was selling or
$3.50 and IS; in 1904, for 81: in 1905,
for $11; in 1906, for IS and Sc. in
1907, for Sc and this year 1t is being
sold as high as $13. There is some big
difference In the price of kraut this
year, as pared with the quotation
year ago.
From talks with dealers In kraut
1t Is learned that unless there is a
heavy importation of cabbage from
southern states kraut is likely TO
so even higher than It Is today. This
is unfortunate, for il there is one
city in America where krant is con.
sidered one the best of foods, 1t is
right here in cultured Madison. That
the people of this city should suffer
for want of sauerkraut Is indeed
calamity terrible to contemplate
but such Is apt to prove the case, un.
less relief comes from some unex.
pected quarter. Lovers OF the delicacy
are earnestly hoping that makers will
yet find some way to enlarge the pres.
ent supply and give them all the kraut
they demand.
Those Americans who have visited
Munich know well the noble statue at
the head of Observation-Disclosures
raised by grateful bavaria to the mem
Dry OF ST. Hermann of Pilsen, inventor
and pro agonist of sauerkraut. The
genial old SAINT smile upon his face
is seen stirring a large kettle of kraut
with an oar of gilt bronze. and so life
like is the carving that the traveller.
standing by, can well nigh scent the
perfumed steam
Two days are required to cook
sanerkraut properly. On the first day
1t should be. dredged out of the bar
rel, spouged, areated and freed of
thistles, and then boiled for an hour
and twenty minutes. In the pot with il
and submerged beneath the surface of
It's bnbbling juices. there should be
one pigtail or eight inches of spare
ribs for each hundred linear yards of
kraut At the end of the process Of
boiling the heavenly mess should be
given dash Of Rhine wine-not bo-
gus California wine, but real Rhine
wine~-and placed In some dark and
damp cellar, pit, cavern or catacomb
TO cool. Next day, at high noon, il
should be brought out. warmed quick
ly over brisk fire, dumped upon a
hot plate. garnished with mashed po
tatoes--and consumed
Sauerkraut thus prepared Is pale
Vandyke brown In color and utterly
lndescribable in aroma and flavor
Once eaten by a man of true refine
ment it will haunt the dim corridors
Of his memory so long as breath ami
mates his scnseless clay.