Drying Fruit etc

[shiney]

I read on another thread that PurePortugal dries fruit etc which can be done in the sun. (lucky thing!)

But...how do you dry stuff when you don't live in a lovely dry place?

Anyone dried anything here in the sometimes sunny UK? I have done apple rings on strings in the past, but is there anything a bit more exciting I could dry and how?

Apple rings are lovely, but a a little variety would be good.

[Wombat]

You can use your oven, shiney (with the door open and on very low), or buy one of those electric driers, or make your own based on a lightbulb, or put a fire frame up over your stove, heater, etc and use waste heat to dry your produce.

Nev

[pureportugal]

hi shiney

if you can do apples in uk you should also be able to do pears - really tasty - the kids love them, which means they never last very long so kind of defeats the purpose of drying them!

you can buy, or better/cheaper still, make a solar dryer - if you do an internet search you should find plenty of info.

we dry wild mushrooms above the woodstove - not too close though, or they'll cook. ours take about 3-4 days to dry completely. might work in an airing cupboard.

best wishes from sunny portugal 8)

[shiney]

Thanks Nev and Pure,

A solar dryer would be interesting. My brother is a mad proffessor. (actually he's not, but he looks like one) I know that he has made solar panels and what have you from recycled/cheap materials, in the past. I may call upon him for a design.

He's actually a highly intelligent electrics/gas/water consultant/designer for industries, including small independant breweries. He rather likes real ale, so he has quite an interest in those projects!

I am the creative in the family ~ there's always one.

[Wombat]

I have made one also and submitted an article on it to Andy. He is pretty busy at the moment but I am sure that he will post it soon

Nev

[pureportugal]

some plans for solar dryers:

http://www.i4at.org/surv/soldehyd.htm

http://www.organicdownunder.com/solar_dryer.htm

[shiney]

Ah great Nev. Another mad proffessor self suffient stylie!

I must go and explore more of the home page here, it's so interesting.

[shiney]

Thanks Pure,

Great links ~ I want to see Nevs invention as well.

I am so pleased I found you all here, you are all so helpful. I am not getting on with my work and I have lots to do!

[shiney]

Hey Nev, it's on the front page ~ doh how did I miss that?

[Wombat]

Yup, that's one! the other is a bit more sophisticated!

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

I have made one also and submitted an article on it to Andy. He is pretty busy at the moment but I am sure that he will post it soon

Nev

yep will get on it. Should be up by the end of the weekend.

[Wombat]

Sorry mate, that was not a dig I know you have been flat out like a lizard drinking.

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

did not take it as a dig mate, no worries. Hopefully I will get around to having a go at making one myself this summer.

[IrishAbroad]

We have plenty of sun where I live for drying fruit etc. but mushroon season is colder and a little bit moist.

So I tried a few ways of drying them but the 2 most effective were layered in a tomato box between newspaper and put in the airing cupboard or simply threading them on a string and hanging them in the living room near the fire (or whatever heat source you all have). Put some sort of covering on them (you guessed it - newspaper worked well for me) to keep the dust off.

I've just finished sun drying my first tomatoes but lost one batch due to my very greedy dog Who ever said dogs are carnivores.

BTW I have a great book called "Food From Your Garden" It's about 20 years old (at least) but it has become my bible. Everything from growing to preserving to brewing. There's a great section on salting veg (caution to those on a low sodium diet) and even a section on bee keeping.

[Muddypause]

BTW I have a great book called "Food From Your Garden" It's about 20 years old (at least) but it has become my bible.

The Reader's Digest one? I was given that about 20 years ago, too. It's certainly a comprehensive book in typical RD style, and I refer to it often.

Don't kow if it's still in print, though you must never order anything from RD if you don't want a lifetime of subsequent mailshots. I had to move three times to avoid them.