Fresh pork became available after fall butchering. In the days preceding freezers, fresh meat was eaten promptly or canned for later use. Sauerkraut was also an autumn dish. Late harvested cabbage was shredded and stomped into sauerkraut, then served as a vegetable through the cold months when the garden was not productive. Today, although canning and freezing make pork and sauerkraut a possible meal at any time of the year, it is still thought of as a dish most appropriately eaten when there is a chill in the air. Served usually with mashed potatoes, pork and sauerkraut is a combination of balanced tastes—the sharp, acidic quality offsetting the rich pork.