My family has a sauerkraut recipe and method that's been passed down for generations. These days, it's served as the centerpiece of a local Germanfest with a few spare quarts auctioned off at the end of the night for sums that make my parents blush. So I asked them: would you ever market your 'kraut?

They adamantly say no. It's not because of a secretive attitude or desire to keep their sauerkraut to themselves. In fact, they take great joy in giving it away to friends, family, and further-reaching acquaintances. It comes down to the fact that they wouldn't want this joyful family tradition to become a mere job.

Nonetheless, it's a delight to find family recipes from others that grace the shelves of local specialty markets. Do any of you have a favorite product that started out as someone else's family recipe? Or a family recipe of your own that's made it to the shelves?

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(Image: Dean & Deluca)