DIY

Sauerkraut.  Kimchi.  Sweet pickled cabbage.

What do these things have in common besides cabbage?  They're half price when you DIY.

Step one.  Cut up your cabbage and in some cases other veggies.

Step two.  Put in pickle.  The sauerkraut you salt-press; the kimchi you garlic-brine; the sweet cabbage you pickle in a vinegar sauce.

Step three.  Wait a week.

There are recipes for these things on the net.  The sauerkraut freezes very well.  The other two you pack in sterilized jars in the back of the fridge for a week and you eat them up.  The kimchi isn't nearly as stinky as you think it's going to be, because you're not burying it in the back yard for many months.  The sweet pickled cabbage -- I'm not sure you can buy that, it's an Amish recipe.  It's a great change from coleslaw as a side dish.

I said when I DIY it always has more than one benefit.  Here's one.  Look at the label of the kimchi in the store.  Does it have shellfish in it?  If you are allergic to shellfish, you have to find a brand that doesn't have that in it, and hope your store keeps carrying it.  My issue is that shellfish isn't kosher.

DIY means you never have to worry about it.  Or chemicals.  You eat the stuff up before the chemicals of the store-bought stuff kick in.  Once you get used to making your own bread, try these.

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