Lori Thuesen, age 13, of Newport Beach, Calif., for her question:

HOW IS SAUERKRAUT MADE?

Sauerkraut has been around for a long time. History reveals that it was served to the laborers who worked on the Great Wall of China in 200 B.C.

Cabbage is the main ingredient of sauerkraut. Sound, mature heads should be selected. One pound of salt is used with 40 pounds of cabbage, or two teaspoons of salt if you are only fixing one pound of cabbage.

You start by shredding the cabbage into strips one¬ sixteenth of an inch thick and adding the salt. Pack the cabbage firmly in stone crocks and cover with a weighted plate or board. Fermentation starts almost immediately. The scum should be removed daily. In about a month at a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the sauerkraut will be ready to eat or seal into small containers for storage.