Sauerkraut

Off message – but I am very fond of this dish especially with cold meats. I am also a huge fan of the author Patrick O’Brian and his Aubrey-Maturin novels.

I really envy anyone who has not yet read any of his works and who has just obtained a copy of the first of the series “Master and Commander”. Enjoy!

I think I am right that former Tory minister William Waldengrave famously described the 20 novel series as cocaine for intellectuals. Obviously not referring to me.

By co-incidence I find today that 19th Century British sailors did not conquer the scourge of scurvy during this time by drinking lime with their rum. Instead what enabled the British Empire to sail and fight in all Seven Seas in relative good health was the consumption of vitamin rich and long shelf life Sauerkraut!