290 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



fruit may be cut into thick slices. Spread on trays and dry in the 

 sun. It may be necessary to turn several times to prevent molding. 

 Dry until tough and leathery in texture. They are then packed 

 tight in barrels or boxes. A little salt should be sprinkled between 

 the layers. 



Pumpkin and Squash. Cut into strips and peel. Cut the strips 

 into slices about one-fourth of an inch thick. Spread on trays 

 and dry. 



Cabbage. Select well developed heads. Remove the outer 

 leaves and cut into strips about one-fourth or one-half of an inch 

 thick. Spread loosely on trays and dry in the sun. About eighteen 

 pounds of fresh is required to give one pound of dry cabbage. 



Peppers. Commercial drying of peppers is outlined on page 

 237. Stringing in the sun is still a good method for home use. 



STORING AND COOKING DRIED VEGETABLES. 



Dried vegetables may be kept in glass or stone jars, closed bins 

 or heavy sacks or otherwise protected from insects. With small 

 quantities it is a good plan to wrap in bundles with strong paper 

 and store the bundles in cloth sacks. To guard against insects 

 hatching from eggs deposited during the drying, the vegetables 

 should be placed in shallow pans and put in a moderately hot oven 

 for a few minutes before storing. The same treatment can be used 

 later with vegetables found to be infested after putting away. An- 

 other way to destroy insect life is to put the material in a tight 

 covered box and allowing bi-sulfid of carbon to evaporate from a 

 saucer placed on top just below the box cover. Half a cupful is 

 enough for a 2 ft. X 4 ft. X 3 ft. This vapor is explosive and should 

 be used in the open air and away from lights. Its offensive smell 

 will soon dissipate by exposure to the air after treatment and no 

 injury be done to flavors. 



Cooking Dried Vegetables. As a rule dried vegetables must 

 be soaked in cold water for 24 hours before being cooked. A pinch 

 of carbonate of soda added to the water makes them more tender. 

 They can be used as fresh vegetables, but are particularly suitable 

 for soups and stews. 



Special suggestions are as follows: Corn should be soaked 

 two to four hours, using two cups of water to one cup of corn. 

 Peas should be soaked about twenty-four hours before cooking. 

 Dried tomatoes will require at least twenty-four hours soaking or 

 longer to soften and remove the excess of salt. To cook dried 

 pumpkin or squash, soak over night in ten pints of water to one 

 pound of dried material. They can then be used for pies, etc., in 

 the same way as the fresh vegetables. To cook dried cabbage,, add 

 seven cupfuls of water to one heaping cupful. Bring slowly to a 

 boil in an open kettle. Boil thirty minutes. Add salt to taste. This 

 may be used for creaming, etc. 



