SC - dried apples

[Mark.S Harris]

Ruth commented:
> Also, I have to admit that I haven't yet seen a source
> describing dried apples in Period, but drying's a pretty standard
> food-preservation technique, and I do know that raisins (and
> currants and figs and dates and . . .) were used in Period,
> so I doubt dried apples would represent a gross violation
> of historical accuracy.

Interesting. While hardly a comprehensive search, I checked
these two files in the FOOD-FRUITS section of the Florilegium:
fruits-msg       (127K)  1/24/01    Medieval fruits and fruit dishes.
Recipes.
fruit-apples-msg  (61K)  1/19/01    Period apples and apple recipes.

And I can't find any period referance to dried, slice apples. I did
find a recipe for making an Apple marmalade-like dish that does dry
the apple pulp and one that candies sliced, dried apricot.

Did apples keep well enough in a cool place like a cellar that you
didn't need to dry them for preservation? But if that was the case,
then why juice them to make cider?

Ruth, the fruits-msg file does have a fair amount of info on
various dried fruits, if you are interested.

Stefan li Rous
stefan at texas.net