A favorite addition to sauerkraut is caraway seed.  Whole caraway seed adds a wonderful flavor to sauerkraut, but use sparingly ~ A little goes a long way!  Be sure the seeds are whole and not powdered.  Ground spices harbor more mold and can contribute to spoilage in a new ferment.


Ingredients: Cored and finely sliced cabbage (food processor or mandolin on narrowest slicing setting)

Optional:  ¼ tsp. whole caraway seed/pound cabbage

Jar: Recommend 2 to 5 liter Jar

Brine: Self-brining
Ferment: 8-10 days active, 2-3 months total

This recipe is adapted from Linda Cox of Bread to Perfection in North Canton, OH.  
Used by permission.  Thank you, Linda!

Ingredients:
Trimmed and grated carrots (or sliced or sticks) 
Optional:
A sprig of fresh chocolate mint (or dill or small slice of ginger [powerful and goes a long way])
Jar: .75 or 1 Liter Jar (Or double or triple the recipe in a 2 or 3 Liter Jar)
Brine: 2%

Ferment: 7-9 days

This recipe is from Lisa Herndon of Lisa's Counter Culture, Palo Alto, CA.  Used by permission.  Thank you, Lisa!

Ingredients: Organic Beets (peeled and chopped into 2 to 3 inch cubes)
Brine: (2% brine [20 grams per liter of filtered water])
Optional: Ginger (peeled and sliced into 1" pieces)
1/8 teaspoon or less cayenne (optional, added after primary fermentation)

Important tips:
Fresh beets should be large and detached from greens for at least a week to concentrate the sugars.
Try to choose beets that are at least the size of your fist.
Make sure the beets are not cut too small, or they will ferment too quickly.
Vary the color and flavor of the final kvass by choosing different varieties of beets.  Golden beets result in a beautiful orange tonic, Chioggia or striped pink/white results in a light pink tonic, and the traditional purple beets results in a deep wine colored tonic.  The chiogga and the golden beets are milder in flavor or less "beety".  They're all delicious!