Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-24
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Correspondents on topics Of interest 70 the ladies'
COLUMN. Oxford Democrat. South Paris. Ne
Vegetables for Winter by Drying.
NAY BE USED MUCH THE SANE AS THE
FRESH VARIETIES.

Various dried or evaporated vege.
tables may be used In cookery In most
of the ways in which fresh materials are
employed. They may find their widest
usefulness, however, In soup mixtures
or ip the preparation of the popular old.
fashioned vegetable boiled dinner. Dry
ing permits the serving of any favorite
vegetable combination at any and all
seasons of the year. The various vege-
tables after drying may be mixed In
definite proportions prior to storage, or
they may be stored separately and mixed
when used.
For those who wish to make vege-
table mixture that will have the max.
imum food value and at the same time
be as nearly as possible complete or
balanced ration, the formulas used In
making evaporated soup mixtures for
the British armies may serve az guides.
! One of these mixtures contains 20 per
cent each of potatoes, turnips and peas,
| II per cent each Of carrots and beans,
and per cent of onions. In another,
the combination IL 81 per cent of pota.
toes, 10 per cent each of carrots and tur.
nips, 10 per cent each of onions and cab
bage, and per cent each of beans
and peas.
DIFFER FROM PREPARED PRODUCT
The dried vegetable soup mixtures on
sale differ principally from these formu-
las in having In most instances a larger
percentage of potato, in the absence OF
beans and peas, and In having various
minor additions, such as beets, celery,
radishes, and tomatoes.
In making up combinations OF dried
vegetables, the housekeeper should re-
member that the mixture must subse
quently be soaked and cooked as q unit,
and only vegetables that absorb water
aud cook at approximately equal rates
can be successfully combined in Q dry
condition. Such materials as the root
vegetables, cabbage, celery, tomatoes
and onions behave alike both in their
absorption of water and in cooking,
according to specialists of the United
States Department of Agriculture. Any
desired combination can be made from
them.
Dried corn and mature peas and beans
absorb water very much more slowly
and must be cooked from two to three
times as long as materials in the list just
given. For this reason they can not be
mixed with other vegetables before soak
ing. Instead, they should be separated,
soaked, and partly cooked. Then the
other vegetables desired in the mixture,
after previous soaking, may be added
and the whole cooked until done.
HOW TO DRY VEGETABLES
Practically all vegetables, after being
sliced or otherwise made ready for the
drier, should be blanched from one to
three minutes In boiling water or steam
before drying. They should then be
drained, and spread in very thin layer
on the shelves of the drier. From time
to time the trays should be withdrawn
and the contents carefully stirred 80 the
product will dry evenly.
When thoroughly dry the product
should be removed from the drier and
placed in dark airy room free from
insects. Stir occasionally during the
several days Ii is left there to cure.
Then heat carefully again for few min
utes and store in tin cans, heavy paste.
board boxes, or parafined bags. Cover
tightly to exclude insects and store In q
room which is warm and dry.