SPECIALTIES AND SOUPS. 75 



No. 3 Fancy: Minimum weight after draining a can, 22 ounces, 

 and to fill to one-half inch of (lie top of the can. Not more than 2 

 per cent of black tips. Prepared from selected white corn. 



No. 3 Staiidard: Minimum gross weight, 39 ounces, 18 ounces of 

 hominy after draining, and can to be filled to 1 inch of the top when 

 drained. Prepared from medium-sized white corn and to contain 

 not more than ." per cent of black tips. This weight is too low and 

 should be not less than 20 ounces in a No. 3 can. 



SAUERKRAUT. 



Sauerkraut is made by the natural fermentation of cabbage in casks. 

 The cabbage heads are stripped of all outside or green leaves, leaving 

 only the white sound head. It is then cut into thin slices in a specially 

 constructed machine. The long, fine-cut cabbage is evenly spread and 

 well packed in casks. To each layer salt is added at the rate of about 

 2 pounds per 100 pounds of cabbage. The salt is used as flavor- 

 ing and to modify in some degree the fermentation. If too much 

 salt is used, a pinkish color results ; if too little, the fermented product 

 may become more or less slimy. The temperature of the weather at 

 the time of putting up the cabbage also influences the fermentation. 

 If the weather is very warm, the fermentation is too rapid, the 

 product has a very white but more or less slimy appearance, and the 

 cabbage is tough rather than of a natural crispness. If the tempera- 

 ture is very low, fermentation will be arrested. The best temperature 

 is probably between 60 and 70 F. ? and the process requires about 

 4 weeks. Fermentation begins as soon as the cabbage is placed in 

 the cask, but there is only a slight rise of temperature as compared 

 with most fermentation processes. A heavy foam rises to the top, 

 which must be skimmed off every day, and when this ceases to form 

 the brine goes down and the process is complete. Use can be made 

 of the kraut at once, though it seems to be better after standing. 

 The kraut will keep in the casks for a long time, provided there is no 

 leakage, and the spoilage is usually limited to a few inches on the top. 



Kraut is easily canned, which is the only clean way of dispensing 

 it in groceries in small quantities. The canning should be done where 

 the kraut is made. The shipping of kraut in barrels to distant points 

 to be canned has nothing to commend it and much to condemn it. 

 The repacking in barrels means labor and loss of material, and in 

 too many cases the loss of natural brine, after which spoilage takes 

 place easily. The canning should be done while it is in the fresh- 

 est possible state at the point of production. Kraut is easily kept. 

 The cans should be filled full, weighed, and sufficient hot water added 

 to fill the can ; then exhausted, capped, and processed at boiling tem- 

 perature for 25 minutes. 



