> Gil, > > How do you store the dried fruits and vegs? Any tricks to keeping them well > preserved for years? Have you tried lactic acid fermentation? Seems that RS > speaks very highly of it. > > Thanks, > Chris
All I do is to exclude air and moisture. No additives. I use high quality, food grade, press seal plastic bags. Available from super markets etc. Then store in food grade, press seal plastic buckets. These in small sizes are used for honey and larger ones for ice-cream/ cream/ salad dressings etc. These are commercial packaging and can be bought new from suppliers to food packers, or second hand from hotels/ restaurants/ caterers etc. I keep a stock of different sizes of each. When drying, I pack in the press seal bags, while the fruit is still just above room temperature, forcing out as much air as possible. I use many small bags rather than large bags. I pack them immediately into the press seal buckets. I keep every thing sealed as much as possible. When cooking, I remove the bags I require, closing the bucket, remove each portion I require, immediately resealing the bag and carefully excluding the air. Then put them all back in the buckets. I note that if I allow Fran, my wife, near my stash of goodies, she often will leave the lid off the bucket and open bags all over the place. Ten minutes in a streamy kitchen is enough to rehydrate dried fruit and start the deterioration process if not put back in the drier for a while and then re-sealing. SO when she cooks, she asks me to divvy out that which she requires. I have successfully dried and kept for extended periods:- orange, lemon, pineapple, mango, paw paw, banana, apple, pear (out standing), tomato, onion, garlic, mushroom (out standing), pumpkin, rock melon, apricots, peach, nectarine and many other fruit and veg. Friends also do several varieties of fish and marinated meats and chicken. With chicken only use organic for safety. Gil
