This is a very old recipe that comes from a Mennonite family in Virginia. It seems like your basic slaw recipe, but often, I find, the best recipes are the very basic ones. Chances are a Mennonite farm family will be using the freshest ingredients.
If you're trying to match the taste you might find in a Mennonite kitchen you'd have to start with a homegrown head of cabbage. You can't over-estimate the taste difference between a head of cabbage that comes out of the earth beneath your own feet vs. a tightly packed trucked in head you get at the supermarket.
This slaw recipe will taste great regardless of where you get your cabbage, but it's going to be the best if you use homegrown. Note the variation in sugar amounts also, if you like a less sweet version just use a tablespoon.
If you are like me and like a more sweet version, double it. I can also tell you that the instructions on this recipe are a bit, this is one of these passed down recipes that I'm sure the Mennonite cook could be blind-folded, but you might have to experiment a bit to get it just right!
- Part 1
- 1 head cabbage, shredded
- 1-½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tsp. celery seed
- PART 2:
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon. salt
- 1 cup vinegar
- 3 /4 cup vegetable oil
- Bring Part 2 ingredients to a boil over medium high heat.
- Remove from heat after boiling for two minutes.
- Pour syrup into a big bowl.
- Put Put Part 1 ingredients in with Part 2 syrup and toss until everything is even coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight
farmhousebarb
I like the sound of this one! Hubby prefers mayo based slaw,so that is what I usually make. I eat just about anything..so I will try this,just to switch things up a bit!
Kevin
Deanna, thanks for alerting me to this...not sure what happened to it, but I just reinstalled the button!
brenda
not having cabbage, chopped up head of cauliflower and used the dressing recipe. initial tasting is really great. verdict will come with dinner much later in the day.
Kevin
Brenda, that sounds super! Hope it turned out well!