Seasonal Eating

January Recipes: Spicy Sauerkraut + Swooning a Smitten – A Bitter Cocktail

January 12, 2025

Created by Thomas Hoy of Slow Food Philly

Spicy Sauerkraut

People, it is time to stock your larder. Actually, this should have been done weeks ago. Although, it’s not too late. Have a sad cabbage that’s been sitting in the back of your refrigerator crisper drawer? Perfect, grab that and get to chopping. It’s time to preserve some calories for winter and harbor some happy probiotics.

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Slice that cabbage head in half. Think longitude, so perpendicular to the equator.
  2. Now chop on the latitude(s) of the cabbage from the top towards the chin
  3. Toss shredded cabbage into big bowl
  4. Sprinkle salt over top. The salt amount should be 1-2% of the total cabbage
    weight.
  5. Let sit in the bowl for 1 hour. Squeeze the shredded cabbage every 15 minutes to
    ring out the water. Drain between squeezing.
  6. Chop the chilies up
  7. One last final cabbage squeeze and drain.
  8. Combine chilies with the cabbage.
  9. Pack into a container and store for 3 days or 3 weeks somewhere dark and
    warm.
    10.The cabbage will begin to ferment and bubble. If your container has a bubbler,
    great! If not, release the air from the container daily.
  10. You can eat at the 3 day mark or let go longer for a more bubbly, funky, probiotic
    rich kraut. Just remember to refrigerate the container after fully opening.

Swooning a Smitten – A Bitter Cocktail

Serves: 1

The days are shorter, the wind is sharper, scarves are flapping and layers pile on. It is the time of year for intimate candle lit dinners, whole roasted birds, and bitter digestifs. This is a nightcap I like to make for my guest(s) of honor. This cocktail stars Fell To Earth Pennsylvania Amaro. A local Amaro that will give any old world tonic a run for its money. This amaro consists of a neutral grain spirit, trifoliate orange, lemon verbena, wormwood, juniper, etc., local honey and house caramel. This cocktail comes together in seconds. The orange peel brightens up the nose and the fat olive is for snacking after polishing off this easy drinker. There you have it, a drink for the most bitter of days and sultry of nights.

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Pour soda water into highball with ice
  2. Follow with amaro
  3. Give a stir with a very aristocratic index finger (or a bar spoon)
  4. Garnish with twist and fat olive

About the Chef

Thomas Hoy (he/him) started out as a cook at Bar Lucca in Conshohocken on his breaks during college. He was introduced to Slow Food on a trip to Italy, where he was captivated by the regional food culture and uncompromising appreciation for local food-ways. 

After acquiring an affection for farm-to-table dining he has since transitioned to a liaison role for Pieri Hospitality at their farm in Bucks County, Pieri Farm & Vineyard. He brings his kitchen acumen to growing & harvesting and sees the farm-to-table connection as an open collaboration between chef & farmer. He is also their assistant winemaker. 

Thomas maximizes the full potential of fruits and vegetables in their life cycle from seed to stomach in several ways, from minimizing waste, growing for robust flavor, building soil, and connecting to local communities. He is inspired by his two older brothers, parents, professors, and many other loved ones in his life.