I've been buying a lot of spring fruit while it's in season and using my food dehydrator to dry it. The theory is that later in the year, when strawberries, blueberries, and cherries are expensive I'll have some in my pantry that I can use. The problem is that we keep eating my work! Dried fruits taste wonderful in a bowl of cereal or a batch of muffins. They also make a great snack on their own.
I found strawberries on sale for 99 cents a pound today, and brought four pounds home to dry:
This is the third batch of strawberries this month. There are three trays filled; when the dehydration is complete tomorrow morning they'll fill a large Tupperware container. I may go back to the store before the week is over for another set of berries!
This is the third batch of strawberries this month. There are three trays filled; when the dehydration is complete tomorrow morning they'll fill a large Tupperware container. I may go back to the store before the week is over for another set of berries!
How do they taste in comparison to when they are fresh?
ReplyDeleteOK I have no idea of how a food dehydrator works, not what it tastes like afterwards.. I love strawberries but they don't freeze well, what are they like when dehydrated and how do you use them? xx
ReplyDeleteMy dehydrator is a tower of perforated plastic trays that stack on top of one another with a top that contains a motor and fan. Air circulates through the whole thing so the moisture is removed quickly.
ReplyDeleteDrying fruit intensifies the sweetness. You can cook with it just as you would any dried fruit (i.e., raisins). Right now we're working our way through some oatmeal-blueberry muffins made with dehydrated blueberries from last week.
I love dried fruit because I think most fresh fruit is "too sour." Joseph tells me that my tastebuds are broken - but I find most non-citrus fruit to be insufferably "sour" - strawberries being a big offender. In addition to the applications you mentioned I love dried fruit as a component in a crumble or hot fruit compote [made in the slow cooker and then ultimately spooned over ice cream or gelato].
ReplyDeleteMmmmm....compote! However, I associate those with cold weather, and I don't know if we'll have any fruit left at the rate we're eating it now!
ReplyDeleteSounds very interesting. I have never dried fruit. May have to give it a try. Buying in season and using later certainly appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteYUM!
ReplyDeleteHow long does dried fruit keep Kathy? Can you freeze it after that - or is it just to be kept as is? I'm intrigued1
ReplyDeleteCrunchy, I don't know how long it keeps...we're eating it too fast :-) However, the dried apricots and cranberries I buy at the store last for several months, and I found a half-used box of raisins that I think is quite old.
ReplyDeleteThis post inspired me to buy my own dehydrator. I'm excited about all the possibilities!
ReplyDeleteCool!
ReplyDeleteEngineer Son was home over the weekend and examined my unit. He said its 500-watt motor used energy equivalent to 7 light bulbs being left on.