chelle said:Thanks again, Tom. 
All of this information is really helping me to understand more about fermentation. Perhaps even enough to get me fired-up to attempt preparing my very own sauerkraut. 
@chelle, I just discovered 'lacto fermentation' in the last few days and have been reading a lot on it. That is basically what this thread was talking about. however, there are 'vessels' out there with air tight lids that eliminate (or at least greatly reduce) the chance of spoilage. If you're really curious about it, just search for lacto fermentation and you'll enter a whole new world. One thing I discovered after I had ordered some stuff online is that the same setup can be made at home for a fraction of the cost using regular canning jars and the tattler reusable lids and a couple of items from a brew house or wine-making shop. I'm waiting now on my order and once I see how it works and if I decide I want to do more fermentation, I'll probably order some of the tattler lids and make my own. If you already have the jars, you can probably get a fermenting vessel set up for around $2. ... Vs the $20+ if you buy the whole unit online. There are tons of recipes out on the web for all kinds of fermented foods. I can't wait!
