The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-28
lg Corn and Peaches
weet corn is a delicious food
al. IL not superior, to canned


i-i al. IL not superior. to canned
e4cni a1a capable of use for practically
as wide variety OF purposes. Any of
the varieties of sweet corn having quail
tues desirable for table use will make
a good dried product. Corn iatended for
drying should be gathered when in the
frilk stage, before glazing and harden
ing have begun and when the corn is in
an ideal condition for immediate table
use. 1t should be gathered only as rap
idly as 1t can be gathered for drying
as corn deteriorates rapidly.
Husk the ears and trim with knife to
remove any injuries. The silk need not
be removed, as it can be readily separated
from the corn after drying. Place the
ears in wire baskets or wire-bottom
boxes and plunge into boiling water for
10 Il minutes, or until the milk is set
A little salt may be added to the blanch-
ing water If desired. Divide the corn
into older and younger lots before
blanching, as the younger ears require
somewhat longer cooking than the older
ones.
After cooking, remove corn from the
water, allow it to drain and cool suffi-
GENTLY to be handled and cut from the
cobs with strong sharp knife, taking
care than none of the cob is removed
with the kernels The glumes or the
Fun attachments at the tip of the grains
are easily screened out after the corn
becomes dry. Spread the kernels upon
trays to depth of one inch if drying
is done in drier. or one-eighth to five
eighths inch if the corn is to be dried
in the sun. Stir the grains thoroughly
several times during the drying to break
Up any compact masses.
1t is practically impossible to bring
corn to a sufficient degree of dryness by
the unaided heat of the sun. If corn is
n fhh Gun cba y. e.; \
pouring into bread pans, placing in the
oven of the stove and warming to 100
degrees to l65 degrees f. for two hours
Whether the drying is done in the sun,
in cook stove drier. or in a CONNER
cial drier, it should be continued until
the grains are hard, semi-transparent
and will break with clean glass-like frac-
lures If crushed.
Before storing, free the corn of silks,
slumes and bits of cob This may be
dene by pouring the corn from one YES
sci to another in strong draft. When
tie corn is dry, store in closely woven
muslin bags or heavy paper bags Tie
tightly at the neck and place within
larger muslin bag. which also should be
tightly tied
DO not allow the drying process to stop
from time to time after it is started I'M
til the corn is fairly dry. Corn is a pro-
duct which contains considerable sugar
and protein, and if the drying process is
allowed to stop bacteria are apt to de-
velop. Protect it from insects. If sun
drying is interrupted by cloudy weather
or showers. remove corn to the stove and
continue drying or the product may
spoil.
Peaches are usually dried unpeeled al
though superior variety is made by
removing the skins Select peaches for
Pc pin hut ~
Wash, cut in half, remove stone and
place in trays with the pit side up.
Many housewives use a I've solution for
removing the skins. Dissolve two pounds
OF commercial concentrated I've in 10
gallons of water. When boiling hot place
the peaches in a wire or wooden basket
and plunge into the solution for l to
minutes. moving the basket up and down
to hasten contact with the I've.
Lift from I've when fine cracks or
checks In the peel appear. Plunge inn
riediately into cold water and move
about to wash off the lye Remove the
skins by rubbing between the hands or
with brush Wash to remove the adj
herring lye Halve, take out pits and
place on the drier cavity side UP.
IL peaches are dried in the sun, cover
with muslin or mosquito netting to pro-
tect from insects the same with other
kinds of fruit In an artificia1ly heated
drler Inc temperature at the beginning
of drying should not be more than 12o
degrees F. This may be gradually in
creased to 100 degrees. When the pieces
are pliable and leathery and no mois-
tuse can be pressed out Of the freshly cut
surface, the product is sufficiently dry.
Transfer from the .drier to large, clean
wooden or pasteboard boxes and cover
with muslin which will admit the air
and exclude insects. Place the box in
warm rom in a, rather dark spot. Stir
daily until the fruit is in a uniform con-
dition, after which pack II in permanent
containers and store in dry, airy place.