In the age before mass refrigeration, our grandmothers routinely preserved seasonal foods in salty brine, acidic vinegar, sugary syrup or alcohol. This was not just a matter of convenience. When food is preserved, new and unique flavour compounds are created as it ages. In the case of fermented foods like sauerkraut (where food is encouraged to produce lactic acid from its own stores of Lactobacilli), it also enhances the nutritional benefit. And so, despite the year-round availability of most fruits and vegetables these days, these recipes remain relevant.