DRY ALL FOOD THAT CAN BE DRIED 



27 



set milk. Drain thoroughly, and with a 

 sharp knife cut off in layers or cut off half 

 the kernel and scrape off the remainder, 

 taking care not to include the chaff. Start 



at temperature of 130 F. and raise gradually 

 to 140, stirring frequently. 



Corn is dry when it is hard and semi- 

 transparent. 



DIRECTIONS FOR FRUIT DRYING 



Fruits may be dried in the sun until the 

 surface begins to wrinkle, then finished in 

 the drier. With stone fruits, such as peaches, 

 plums, apricots and cherries, none but fruits 

 that are fresh, ripe and in perfect condition 

 should be used. With apples, pears and 

 quinces, effective thrift calls for using the 

 sound portions of fruit that may be partially 

 wormy or imperfect. When properly dried, 

 fruits should be entirely free from moisture 

 when pressed between the fingers on removal 

 from drier and should be leathery and pliable. 



Sulphuring Fruits 



Apples, pears, peaches and apricots are 

 subject to chemical changes as soon as the skin 

 is removed or the flesh exposed to the air. 

 To stop these changes and so preserve the 

 natural appearance, color and flavor, it is 

 necessary, before drying, to sulphur these 

 fruits, as they can not be blanched. Blanch- 

 ing causes loss of sugars in the blanching 

 process and dripping^ of the juice occurs when 

 blanched fruits are subjected to the heat of 

 the drier. Sulphuring does not affect the 

 food value of the fruits and is not injurious to 

 persons using them. 



Provide a box large enough to enclose a 

 stack of trays. This may be a packing box 

 or a frame covered with canvas, building paper 

 or wall-board. Stack the filled trays on 

 bricks or blocks of wood which will hold the 

 bottom tray several inches above the ground. 

 The trays should be separated from each other 

 by blocks of wood. Beneath this stack place 

 one or two sticks of sulphur in an old sauce- 

 pan, shovel or other holder. Set fire to this 

 sulphur by using coals or lighted shavings and 

 invert the box to cover trays and reach to the 

 ground. Add sulphur as needed during the 

 time specified in the directions. The time 

 varies with various fruits and is given in 

 special directions on pages 27 and 28. 



Apples and Pears 



Pare, core and slice, dropping slices into 

 cold water containing eight level teaspoonfuls 

 of salt to the gallon, if a light-colored product 

 is desired. Leaving them for a short time in 

 salt water will prevent discoloration. (If 

 preferred, core the whole fruit, after peeling, 

 and slice into rings, dipping these for a 

 minute or two into cold salted water as 

 described above.) 



To sulphur spread in trays of wire 1 to 1^4 

 inches deep. Put each tray as soon as filled 



into the sulphuring box for 20 to 30 minutes. 

 When the product feels moist on the surface 

 and shows a lightened color, the sulphuring is 

 complete. 



Begin drying at 130 F. and raise this 

 gradually to 175 F. Stir or rearrange fruit 

 occasionally to insure even drying. The 

 fruit is dry when a handful of slices is pressed 

 and separate when released, leaving no 

 moisture on the hand. 



Apricots 



Select ripe fruit before it drops from the 

 tree. Remove pits by cutting fruit open with 

 a sharp knife. Apricots are usually dried 

 with the skins on. Arrange the halves on 

 trays with pit cavity uppermost, and dry. 

 If desired, they may be sulphured before dry- 

 ing} the time 1^4 to 2 hours, or until liquid 

 collects in the stone cavity. 



Start drying at a temperature of 130 to 

 145 F. and raise it gradually to 165 F. 

 Remove from the drier when pliable and 

 leathery. 



Berries 



Dry as soon as possible after picking. 

 Spread in thin layers and put each tray as 

 soon as filled into the drier. It may be 

 necessary to spread cheesecloth over wire 

 mesh bottoms of trays to keep berries from 

 falling through. 



It is not advisable to dry such fruits as red 

 raspberries, currants and strawberries, unless 

 no other conservative methods are con- 

 venient. 



Start the drying at a temperature of 135 

 to 145 F. and raise it gradually toward the 

 end of the drying process to 150 to 155 F. 

 Properly dried berries rattle somewhat when 

 stirred and show no moisture when pressed. 



Cherries 



Pick over well and wash. Remove surface 

 moisture by draining. Spread unpitted in 

 thin layers. 



Start drying at a temperature not above 

 120 F. and raise gradually to 150 F. Prop- 

 erly dried cherries are leathery. 



Figs 



Select ripe figs and pick over thoroughly. 

 Wash, drain well and spread in single layers 

 on drying trays. If dried in the sun, turn 

 daily, protect from insects by glass or netting, 

 and bring indoors at night. When applying 

 artificial heat, start drying at a temperature 

 of 120 F. and raise this gradually to 140 F. 

 When nearly dry, immerse figs for 2 or 3 

 minutes in boiling brine (Y^ pound salt to 

 every 3 quarts water, or 1 pound to 3 gallons.) 

 Drain, and finish the drying. 



