DRYING VEGETABLES AND FRUITS EOR HOME USE. 15 



sun. If seeds are to be saved, they should be removed before heat is 

 applied. 



Pumpkin and squash. — Pare and remove seed when the seed are 

 large. For the young, tender, summer squash the seed may be left in. 

 Cut in I to J inch slices and blanch in steam or boiling water 3 to 5 

 minutes. Drain, remove surface moisture, and dry slowly at from 

 125° to 150° F. or start drying at 165° F., reducing temperature 

 to 140° F. 



Eggplant may be dried like squash. 



Potatoes. — Clean, pare, drop in cold water after paring. Remove 

 and slice in -J to J inch slices. Blanch by steam 3 to 5 minutes or in 

 boiling water 2 to 4 minutes. Drain well, remove surface moisture, 

 and dry at 120° to 145° F. They may also be started at 185° F. and 

 temperature reduced to 140° F. 



Potatoes can also be steamed or boiled in water until entirely 

 cooked, peeled, mashed with a potato masher, and pressed through a 

 potato ricer. Then spread thinly on the drying frames covered with 

 cheesecloth and dry at from 115° to 140° F. 



Sweet potatoes. — Wash, pare, and 1 slice in J to J inch slices. Blanch 

 in steam or boiling water 6 to 10 minutes. Drain, and remove sur- 

 face moisture. Dry at 130° to 155° F. They may also be started at 

 185° F. and temperature reduced to 115° F. Dry until brittle. 



Spinach. — Wash, remove the coarse stems, and slice or leave leaves 

 whole. Blanch 2 to 3 minutes in steam or 1 to 2 minutes in boiling 

 water with salt and soda added. Dip in cold water, drain, and 

 remove surface moisture. Spread thinly on drying frames and dry 

 at 110° to 110° F. or start drying at 160° and reduce temperature 

 to 140° F. 



Mustard greens, dandelions, chard and other greens may be dried 

 like spinach but shoidd be blanched a little longer (from 3 to 5 

 minutes). 



Soup mixtures. — Each vegetable used in the soup mixture is pre- 

 pared and dried separately. After drying they are put together in 

 the desired proportion. A combination of several vegetables makes 

 a most desirable soup mixture. Those most often used are carrots, 

 cabbage, onions, celery, and okra. Dried parsley and thyme may 

 be added. 



When the soup mixture is to be used, rinse in cold water and soak 

 in lukewarm water and boil in water or in soup stock. 



Tomatoes for drying must be ripe but not soft. Wash, blanch 1 to 

 2 minutes, dip in cold water, and remove skin and core. With a 

 sharp knife cut in J to J inch slices. Cover trays with cheesecloth, 

 put tomato slices in single layers and dry at 110° F. to 110° F. 



Small tomatoes like the yellow fig tomatoes may be dried whole. 



