Death By Choucroute

Quote from Le Chef: "You can't lie down after eating choucroute and go to sleep. You're going to die" You have to keep moving for a while...
November 6th 2004

Fred's ex roomate Presd and his girlfriend Del invited over a whole bunch of people to sample Choucroute last weekend. Choucroute, a dish from Alsace, is the French version of sauerkraut, cooked together with a whole bunch of different meats, and served with boiled potato. It's a hearty meal, for sure and not recommended for anyone on a diet.



Presd sourced his ingredients from a German Butcher based in Mountain View called Dittmers.

To make Choucroute you need the following: Choucroute(sauerkraut), Stock, White Alsace Wine, a Bouquet of Juniper berries, Salted Pork, Smoked Pork Chop, Frankfurters, Country-Smoked Frankfurters,(You can also add a thick piece of ham if you like) Boiled Potatoes. And a lot of love !!
(Presd is omitting one secret ingredient from the list that makes it unique. Don't ask me. His lips are sealed.) The dish is traditionally served with lashings of spicy Mustard. Fred and I spared a jar of real French Amora Dijon from our secret stash which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment.


Raw sausages long to be simmering with their cousins in a large pot full of choucroute.


The bacon is ready to serve and the bouquet of juniper is removed.


The petit sale/salted pork. Not the best looking piece of meat with its vivid pink shade and big slither of fat on top. But, oh my, it tasted amazing. It was just about everybody's favourite cut from the choucroute hotpot.


One last look at what Presd can do with an enormous sausage.


Fred and I visited K&L to choose some Alsace wines to take to the dinner. In the Alsace region you'll find a wide variety of choices including pinot blanc, pinot gris, gewurtzstramminer and pinot noir. Yes, pinot noir. I had no idea there was an Alsace version. Our K&L guide explained it was very light and would be like no Pinot Noir we'd ever tasted. He was right. We served it chilled. It was indeed light, delicious and dangerously drinkable. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again. The price? $12.99 a bottle.

After dinner treats



Mr Pringle has his eye on the Pierre Herme Almond Tuiles from Paris. Tough luck, Mr Pringle, we got to them before you.

Death By Choucroute