Today I cook! I cook for you! I’m drawing on my inner Baba and am in the throws of making sauerkraut soup! I am even going to wear a kerchief for full affect.

Abandons blog. Goes to bedroom. Opens dresser drawer. Rummages. Finds scarf. Wraps. Wraps. Wraps some more. Ties knot on top of head.

I look like a cross between Audra Lindley, and a head-wound patient. I’d take a picture, but you all would just shake your heads with pity.

Before I begin, I would like to send a message to Alberta Pork. I have been eating a lot of pork, and writing a lot about pork. I thought I’d look at your website and see whats up. I cannot resist commenting that your home page is quite direct in what you are. On the left you have pretty woman holding a cute pink little Wilbur. On the right, you have a handsome family cooking Wilbur on the grill. Doesn’t get more fundamental than that.

Sauerkraut Soup

Assemble:  large pot, water, spareribs, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, potato, jar of sauerkraut

How much:  I went to Acme Meat Market, and asked for spareribs. As they only had frozen, I took what they had. It was $15.00 worth of spareribs. That’s how much.

For the carrots, I am using a bunch of fresh carrots, three sticks of celery, a large yellow onion, two cloves of garlic, and one potato.

For the sauerkraut, I am using a 1 litre jar of sauerkraut. You can find this in any old grocery store. Or, if you are really lucky, you will know someone who makes homemade sauerkraut. That would be best!

Method: I cut the spareribs into pieces. This is the first time I have ever worked with spareribs, and Acme Meat Market had already scored the cutting line so I had a guide where to slice between the bones. Easy!

Next, I put the cut spareribs into a pot, covered with cold water, set on the stove, and brought the pot of water to a boil. Once boiling commenced, I reduced the heat, and let it simmer for 1.5 hours.

While the pot of ribs is simmering, write blog post. Wonder if it’s a good idea to type out a recipe for the world to read that I have never, EVER, tried to make before. Shrug shoulders and think “why not?”. It’s Mom’s recipe, and her recipes always work. So I carry on.

While the spareribs are boiling, and after you complete your blog entry, chop carrots, celery and onion into fine dice. Saute in a bit of canola oil or butter until soft. Add chopped garlic.

When spareribs are cooked (which means it is starting to fall off the bone, which should take 1.5 hours from the frozen state according to my Mom), add your sauteed carrots, celery, onion and garlic right into the pot with the spareribs and simmering water.

This is also the time to open your jar of sauerkraut and add to the pot as well.

By this time, your husband should be home with the potato you forgot to buy earlier.  Dice that potato and add it into the soup. Bring soup back up to a burble, and then reduce again to simmer.

Allow to simmer as long as you can stand it. When you can resist no more, scoop into bowls, and serve with the freshest bread and creamiest butter you can find.

If you want to fiddly it up, and a sprig of dill to each bowl for the pretty factor.