The Real Kraut
Slade School of Fine Art, London



The Real Kraut besteht aus einer Performance, die in der Zubereitung von Sauerkraut besteht., und dem blauen Mini - Mülleimer auf einem Podest, in dem das Kraut dann schlecht wird und vergärt. Die Arbeit besteht solange wie das Kraut gärt, ca 3 Wochen, und ist zum Verzehr bestimmt.

Ein  Text in ãKraut - englishä, schlechtem Englisch, ist Bestandteil der Arbeit.

The Real Kraut consists of a performance, which is the making of the Sauerkraut, and a small blue
dustbin on a pedestal. The Kraut is fermenting in the bucket for 3 weeks, that the duration of the piece, and is supposed to be eaten after that. A text in KRAUT - ENGLISH, bad english spoken by me as a German, is part of the piece (below).

Text  für ãThe Real Krautä

Never talk about politics. Strangers talk only about the wheather, as we know.
Here we go: there is this difference between home made things and things made in the factory. For instance the jam, made by your aunt and then brought to you on Christmas or on any other occasion. It does not have to be necessarily better than the one you can buy at the supermarket. But it disseminates this cosy, private attitude, which makes it special, and which makes it a transportcase for relations and emotions. The aunts jam is a difficult thing. It tends to be more social glue rather than some thing to put on your toast.
But Kraut is not jam, and the whole Kraut - thing is a bit more complicated, even more complicated than my aunts jam. Besides the jam, my aunt used to make herself Kraut as well, especially Sauer - Kraut. Together with a Bratwurst, this is definitely the best thing one can imagine. At least as a proper German. That's how I became a Kraut. Or to be precise, a Kraut lover.
There are a couple of things quite special about the making of Sauer - Kraut. The first is: It takes time. Not only to cut the white cabbage takes time: the compound  has to stay  for about 20 days before it will be ready. What happens is, that basically the cabbage gets bad, but in a very special way, some special fermentation. It takes this time, a bit less time if it is warm outside, and a bit more time if it is cold. And there will be never Sauer Kraut coming out of white cabbage, if there is dirt in ore something bad. Than it simply gets bad. No fermentation. Just rubbishfication. So you can be sure: If the Sauer Kraut - produced that traditional way - tastes good, it is clean.
Resume: If the process of transformation has enough time, and dirt is kept outside, you get splendid results. The Kraut transfers themselves into Sauer Kraut.

Recipe:
6500 g white cabbage
65 g salt
600 g Carotts
400 g Celery
Caraway
Juniper
Dill

Clean the Cabbage, cut it in small pieces. Cut the carotts and the celery. Mix it together with salt. Mash it and hit it with power until the cabbage really gives juice. Give it in a very clean (with boiling water sterilised) pot, (but not one made from metal! plastics or ceramics should do.). Put something heavy and also very clean and sterilised on top of the cabbage, a stone or so, so that the cabbage is sunken under it's own juice. Cover the pot with clean linen. The best would be, if it stands  the first days warm, and then colder. It will produce lots of foam, don't worry. Wait for 15 - 25 days. Than the Sauerkraut will be ready.