Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-16
Eyaporated Fruits.
From the Ohio Farmer.

on lhc sun or on ovens, or heated
rooms, TO preserve perishable fruits.
The markets everywhere show this.
During the past winter sun-dred
apples have sold at three or four
cents, while eveporated apples have
sold Mt from eleven TO twelve cents
mt wholesale.
Sun-dricd peaches have sold at
from seven to eight cents. while evap-
grated peaches have sold, and the mar
kct has been cmpticd, at from thirty
TO forty-iiyc cents at wholesale while
even impaired peaches cvaporatcd
have all been disposed of at from
twelve to fifteen cents. The produc.
cr must accept the position and adapt
himself TO IL OF go under. 1t is vain
for him TO contend with the markets
in this direction.
The eye and thct give evidence
sufficient of the vastly superior quail
ity Of evaporatcd over sun or kiln
dried fruits. Nor should the state
mcnt be received that even the best
cyaporatcd fruit is in no wise dis
tinguishablc from green fruit: unless
the word cooked be inserted before
the word green. Then, when made
into pies, it is difficult In ahc winter
season or in the spring TO discover
difference between green apple picsn
and pies made from the best cvapor-
atcd apples or peaches, either in the
color or by the taste. II is not long
since We were eating apple pic where
we knew they had supply Of win
ter apples, and supposed We were cat
ing green apple pie, when we were in
formed that it was made from cvap.
Grated apples. We do not believe
one in dozen could, under the cir
cumstanccs, have told the difference.
The same fruit used rs n sauce. sim
ply soaked over night and their
slightly sugared, very closely rcscm-
blcs green apple sauce. So OF peach.
IS and some other fruits. Eyapora-
ton, while by the great heat ncccs-
sary TO give freshness TO the color
and perfection TO the process, does
modify the taste of the fruit, though
less than by any other process of
preserving.
1t is philosophical process, carry
ing out the ripcning operations Of
nature more rapidly hy artificial
means. Hence there is, while the
natural juices Of the fruit are removed
in the midst of an atmosphere satur-
atcd with moisture, an increase Of
actual grape sugar, not cane sugar,
from fifteen TO twenty-five per cent.
so that cvaporatcd fruit requires that
much less Of sugar when used. But
it is not all eyaporatcd fruit that is
perfect. Ignorant or careless hands
make poor fruit Yet the poorest
cvaporated is superior TO the best
sun.dried where the color is no better.
Varieties of apples or peaches give
variety TO the color. Some varieties
scarcely change i'll color at all. Over
ripe fruit is darker colorcd than that
which is less ripe. The proper point
Of excellence for the evaporator for
peaches, is about forty-eight hours
before they are fit TO be cut up for
table use. Five or six hours in the
cvaporator will perfect the fruit as
much and increase the quality far
more than forty-eight hours on a rail.
way train or on the tree.
Three things arc essential in an
cvaporator /. The fruit chamber
should be at a high temperature,
from 2l2 degrees TO go degrees,
when the fruit first enters. .. The
air in which the fruit Is evaporatcd
should be saturated with moisture.
3. A strong current Of cold air should
enter at the bottom of the evapora.
tor and be carried Off above the
fruit without stagnating. The more
rapidly current of moist heated air
can be made TO pass through the
fruit, the more perfect the product.
Any cvaporator which does not Sc
cure these results is not a perfect
machine. But skill and good judg-
ment to know how long fruit should
be exposed TO such influences, and
care in not allowing the surface to
become discolorcd before it is put in.
to the evaporator, are absolutely
essential to the production of the
best quality OF cvaporated fruit. An
oven is not an evaporator; IL is sim
ply kiln. In kiln-drying or sun
drying the surface dries first. In
evaporating the natural moisture is
expelled from the fruit in a moist,
hot air chamber, which keeps the
surface always moist.
Fruit after coming from the evap-
orator with only twelve per cent.
water in it, should be put up in a
dark closet secure against insects, or
better, put upin moth-proof packages,
I IA l.. L.. -.