STRODES MILLS — Sauerkraut, a German superfood, is a popular condiment for hot dogs or Reuben sandwiches, and a favorite side which complements savory meats like pork.

Yet, contrary to popular opinion, sauerkraut is a Chinese invention. The Chinese first fermented cabbage in rice wine more than 2,000 years ago. Europeans adopted the practice of fermenting cabbage in its own juices in the 16th century, creating what is known today as sauerkraut.

When large groups of Germans immigrated to the United States in the 18th century, sauerkraut became a part of American cuisine. After all, what would that hot dog or Reuben sandwich be without a generous serving of kraut?

“There’s a large German community in our area,” Rosie Massie said. “Sauerkraut has been a staple in their lives for generations.”

A volunteer with Community Partnerships in Lewistown, Massie presents free Garden to Table workshops to those interested in gardening.

The next session — the last for the year — is scheduled for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Body & Soul Community Center in Strodes Mills. The event is sponsored by Community Partnerships and the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata.

“It’s getting to be the end of the gardening season, so people are going to have fall cabbage,” Massie said. “They can make sauerkraut, put it in a cool cellar and they don’t even need to refrigerate it. They can have it as a staple food for winter.”

Previous workshops have focused on getting a garden started, pollinator plants and pollinators, planting fall crops that are easy to raise and harvest, making jam, salsa and pesto sauce using fresh ingredients from gardens, and a field trip to the Massie’s garden.

The upcoming session focuses on how to make healthy, fermented sauerkraut.

Those who have attended all of her workshops and received her informational fliers will have a complete journal at year’s end.

Massie said her family eats sauerkraut year-round. “When we start to run low, I just make another batch. It’s so easy,” she added.

Massie has the traditional Reubens, along with Rachels –layers of sliced roasted turkey, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and creamy coleslaw.

“We eat them a lot with a bowl of soup in the wintertime,” Massie said. “It’s a very nutritious vegetable.”

Sauerkraut is incredibly healthy, too. It provides probiotics and Vitamin K2, which are known for their health benefits, and many other nutrients. Eating sauerkraut helps boost your immune system, improves digestion, reduces risk of certain cancers and even helps you lose weight due to low calories, high fiber and probiotics.

“There’s a difference between buying a can of cabbage off the shelf at the grocery store and making it,” she said, comparing it to the homemade variety. “The taste is vastly different with the mild, fermented flavor. The cabbage is crispy. The color is about the same as you see in the store.”

Massie plans to start the workshop by making Reubens for everyone.

“That way they get to taste what they’re going to make that evening,” she said. “Everyone is going to make their own sauerkraut and take it home with them. It should be a fun night.”

Bring a 3-pound head of cabbage, a good cutting knife, cutting board and a big dish.

To register or for more information, call (717) 899-6044 or e-mail rmassie@cpartnerships.com.