Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-12
DRYING APPLES AND PEARS;
FRUITS RIGHT IN SEASON
l.ntc Apples ms Well rs Pears Are the
Most Valuable for Drying
purpoScs.

II The housckcepcr purchases apples
for drying. she should postpone the
work until the late autumn and winter
varieties can be obtained, as these have
Il higher sugar content than do tho
summer varieties. But If the home or
chard produces summer apples in ex-
cess OF the immediate needs OF the
family. they should by all means be
preserved By drying, as they give
dried product which is not at all to
he dcspised. Even windfalls. il rea-
sonably well-grown, make an accept
able addition to the diet when
thoroughly dried.
To make the best grade OF dried
fruit. the apples used should be ma
turc. but not soft, and free from
bruises due to rough handling, As
the flesh OF apples discolors very rapid
~ after it is exposed to the air. the
work must be SO planned in advance
that the fruit is not permitted to stand
at any stage of the process after its
preparation is begun. II several per-
sons are doing the work. this may be
accomplished BY dividing the pairing,
corinG and slicing. and spreading on
trays. so that any given single fruit
spends only two or three minutes on
the way from the pairing knife to the
drier. If only one person is doing the
Work and delays arc unavoidable. dark
cninE may be largely prevented by
dropping the pared fruit either into
cold water or into a very dilute salt
solution made by dissolving one table
spoon of common salt in a gallon OF
water. In no case should the fruit be
allowed TO stand in water moment
longer than is necessary. since the
water dissolves out sugars and other
valuable elements. while prolonged
standing results in absorption OF water
and slower drying.
Fruit should be carefully pared and
trimmed TO remove all discolored por-
tons. II a pairing and coring machine
is used. the apples should be worked
over with a knife in order to remove
any bits OF core left by the corins
spoon. Most pairing machines have a
slicins attachment which cuts the fruit
into rings. II they must be sliced by
hand care should be taken to make
the slices as nearly the same thickness
as possible. in order that they may dry
uniformly. three -sixtecnths to one
quarter Of An inch is the best thick
Eess. If preferred. apples may be quar-
tered or cut into eighths, but such
pieces. because OF their irreEularity in
size. do not dry uniformly. and there
is also tendency 10 dry at the sur
/ face while the ccnterS are still too
moist for safety.
| II the housewife desires to make an
| especially attractive white dry product.
| 1t viii be necessary to blanch the
! fruit after it has been pared. cored
and sliced b. short treatment with
steam In order to prevent the discol-
/ Grafton which will otherwise occur.
In order to do this. fit up washboiler
/ with false bottom placed four to
/ hive inches above the bottom and make
n wire basket to At inside the boiler
/ resting upon the false bottom. Fill
I the boiler TO a depth o. three to four
| inches with water, place on the stove,
| cover with the lid. and allow TO boil
| Place the sliced apples loosely in the
! wire basket to a depth Of not more
| than two inches. and when the water
| has reached vigorous boiling raise the
! lid, lower the basket into the boiler
taking care that the fruit does not com.
| into actual contact with the water: re.
| place the lid. and allow the fruit to re.
main In the steam for three to fou,
minutes Remove, spread in sngl,
| layer on trays, and at once place II
tho sun or in the warm drier.
1 While this rather troublesome treat
ment will result In the production OF q
white. inviting product. it retards tn,
brown or chocolate fruit produced by
drying without blanching is as high II
nutritiVe value and as pleasing In navoI
as that obtained by blanching.
II apples are being dried in an cvapo
rator. the temperature should be 1at