[Sca-cooks] Re: Sca-cooks digest, Vol 1 #541 - 20 msgs

[johnna holloway]

According to Pickled, Potted, and Canned by Sue Shephard
(which is a new neat book on food preservation) the Romans
were drying fruits in large quantities. And dates and raisins
have been dried for centuries in areas in which they were
grown. England had trouble with the process of drying
fruits due to the damp climate which made it difficult
to sun dry. When drying moves inside there are fuel costs
associated with oven drying, so a lot of fruit spoiled due
to there not being cheap fuel. In other areas, it was well
established with Slovakia and Moravia and Bosnia drying fruits,
especially plums, in specially constructed buildings.

As for apple cider, you need to mash or press the apples.
It's not "juicing" but pressing.

Johnnae llyn Lewis
Johnna Holloway

Renaissance Girls wrote:
>
> Is drying fruits period?  We have two apple trees and
> a pear tree in our yard, and would love to save some
> of the fruits for use throughout the year.  In the
> past I have canned and frozen, but I know those
> definately aren't period.
>
> Also, do you think it would be possible to make apple
> cider by using my juicer?  It seems as though making
> the cider, without any preservatives, etc. would make
> it go bad?  But, I'm definately not an expert in this!
>
>