Cabbage Slaw to Freeze

Primanti's beef hamburger sandwich.  Their #2 best seller topped only by the #1, Iron City Beer.

I got this coleslaw recipe from my friend Sr. Ladonna of Cedar Rapids, Iowa who recently visited me three weeks ago.  We have known each other during our graduate school days at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. 

Since she had visited me in the nineties and seen most of the sights in Pittsburgh, she preferred to see places in Indiana County where I taught at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Other highlights of her trip here were sighseeing tours at Niagara Falls, New York and Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in Pennsylvania. 

Oak Grove at IUP.

Niagara Falls, NY.

At the background is the famous Fallingwater residence designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmann's, owner of Kaufmann's Department Store. 

Kentuck Knob, another residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this time for the Hagans, owner of Hagan Ice Cream.

As far as culinary highlights were concerned, I took her to the iconic Pittsburgh Primanti Restaurant.  The last time I had out of towners three years ago, the Parayos, I asked Rudy what his best eats was in Pittsburgh and he chose without hesitation Primanti's hamburger.  So I decided Sr. Ladonna had got to try it.  It is not only a treat but an experience figuring how to bite into the homongous sandwich. 

Primanti's hamburger features coleslaw and fries on top of hamburger beef on an Italian bread.  According to anecdotal accounts, it was invented so truck drivers, stopping by at Primanti's during its early days, could conveniently eat all the features of a hamburger meal - beef patty, bread, coleslaw and fries in one sandwich while they were driving. 

Sr. Ladonna, who is a registered dietician and excellent cook and quilter, loved having the coleslaw on the sandwich.  She mentioned while eating the gigantic sandwich that she had a recipe for cabbage slaw that can be frozen in case one has to make it ahead for a big crowd.  She generously provided the recipe below. 

Cabbage Slaw to Freeze

Cabbage Mixture:

• 1 head shredded cabbage
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt

Mix together and let stand one hour.  Drain.

Dressing:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 2 cups sugar

Cook together and boil for 1 minute.  Cool.  Pour over cabbage.  Freeze.