DRYING 



Drying food in order to keep it was almost a daily task for 

 our grandmothers. Now it has become nearly a lost art. 



Fruit and vegetables that are to be dried must be fresh 

 and in their best condition. The skin should be removed 

 from such vegetables and fruits as carrots, squashes, apples, 

 and pears. Such vegetables as cabbage, corn, or string 

 beans, or fruits like cherries or gooseberries, are prepared 

 as for the table. 



It is best to blanch and cold-dip vegetables (page 50) 

 when this can be done, but blanching and dipping before 

 drying are not necessary. 



i Vegetables and fruits should be cut or sliced into pieces 

 about I inch in thickness. The pieces or slices should be of 

 equal size. Drying can be done successfully by the heat 

 of the sun or by the heat of a stove. 



A good tray can be made by nailing laths to two end- 

 boards of pine I inch by 9 inches by 15 inches, keeping the 



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