The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-08-08
DRYING FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES IN THE HOME

lures OIL CIe lOou SoioNA
gram of European countries has been
the universal drying of fruits and
vegetables. The surplus vegetables
in the city markets were forced by
the government into large municipal
driving plants and later community
driers were established in the truck
ing regions, thereby saving the vege-
tables that would otherwise have
to waste. These products have been
used in considerable quantities to
supplement- the concentrated food
diet of the men in the trenches.
The drying of vegetables may
seem strange to the present genera
lions, but to our grandmothers it
was no novelty. Even though this
process of conserving food has be-
come practically a ''lost art" the
present food situation doubtless will
cause a marked stimulation of dry
ing as a means of conserving the
food supply. Drying should not take
the place of storing or canning to
any considerable extent where pro-
per storage facilities are available or
where tin or glass jars can be OBJ
tanned readily at a low cost. The
dried product holds an advantage IN
that it usually requires fewer jars,
a n or other containers than do
canned fruits or vegetables; also
dried materials can be stored in re-
ceptacles which cannot be used for
canning.
With simple and inexpensive IA
c%ilities, all housewives can save guam
titles of food which are too small
conveniently to can. A few peas, ap-
pies, beans, etc., may be dried at a
time, and a quantity sufficient for a
meal will soon be secured. Dried
products require not outlay for ex-
pensive containers and can be stored
almost indefinitely under proper con-
ditions in relatively small space.
One hundred pounds of fresh vege-
tables will average ten pounds of the
dried product. Vegetables and fruits
if properly dried retain their natural
flavor and food value and when pro-
perly cooked a be made into most
attractive and wholesome dishes.
Vegetables and fruits can be dried
in the sun, in the oven, in trays or
racks over the kitchen stove or in
specially constructed driers. Small
driers may be found On the market
which give satisfactory results. Trays
may be made of galvanized wire to
fit the oven or warming closet of
stove. The oven or drier should al
ways be we'll ventilated for when
freshly cut fruits or vegetables are
spread out they Immediately begin
to e~vaporate moisture into the air
around them and if in a closed box
will very soon saturate the air with
moisture. This will slow down the
, rate of drying and lead to formation
of molds. If a current of dry air is
blown over them continually, the
water in them will e%vaporate steadily
until they are dry and crisp. The
ability to judge accurately as when
fruit has reached the proper condi-
ton for removal from drier, can be
gained only by experience. When
sufficiently dried it should be so dry
that it is impossible to press water
out of the freshly cut ends of the
pieces, and yet not so dry that it
will snay or crackle. 1t should be
leathery and pliable.
When freshly cut fruits or vege-
tables are to be dried by of
artificial heat, they should be ex-
posed first to a gentle heat about ITO
degrees and later to a higher temper
allure. If the air APPLIED at the out
set is of too high a temperature, the
cut surfaces become hard or scorch-
ed, covering the juicy interior so that
it will not dry out. The temperature
should never go above $50 degrees,
and it is we'll to keep it below this
point. Sun drying is popularity be.
lieved to give fruits or vegetables a
sweeter flavor. This is probably due
to the fact that in the sun they are
never scorched. Sun drying has much
to recommend it, since it requires
no expenditure of fuel and there is
no danger of the product becoming
overheated. However, it requires
more arr and attention to keep dust
and insects from it by the u drying
method. Insects are apt to lay their
eggs on the fruit while drying, and
later on after the dried product has
been packed away, the eggs may
hatch and the insects spoil the pro.
J,ot Loforo oof,oo ,c foLop of II