.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
As a part of our Nothing New project, I’ve cut out almost all of our packaged food… this includes the dried fruit that I used to buy to include in our museli’s and muffins and things. I was lucky enough to be given a dehydrator for Christmas from my mum, who thought it was the weirdest present ever… but I was over the moon with. Finding ways to preserve locally grown, ripe, beautiful produce that would often go to waste makes me very happy. All of this produce was ripe or overripe when I sourced it from friends gardens, fridges and local growers. Everything you see here was destined for a compost heap…
It constantly amazes me how easy it is to preserve the life and flavour of honest food. To create beautiful little dishes from food that I know the origin of. Preserved food that I know was washed carefully and preserved without any chemicals whatsoever. Food that would once be wasted, due to over abundance (both of the season and of our disposable lifestyles), is now preserved… beautiful jars of dried fruits to be used in baking and cooking… or just snacked on, as is, by hands both big and small, on road trips and adventures in the sweet summer air… seriously, dried blueberries/strawberries… I didn’t even know they were a thing. But seriously. They are a thing. A delicious thing…
And dried slices of figs. Seriously… I’m in love.
Do you dehydrate food? What’s your favourite fruit (or veg?) to dry this season?
sarah - I need this in my life! I am constantly disappointed with how fast our summer fruits ripen, and now how much we could have rescued from the compost or trash.I wonder where one would get a dehydrator (other than your rad mother!!)? I was unaware this was even possible on a ‘homemade/diy’ level.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the possibilities, Sash.
Sar xx
Sash - Hey lady. This is the one I’ve got. you can get super heavy duty ones, I think mine is one of the most basic but I can’t fault it. It works really well and it’s really energy efficient. My guess is you can get one at any electronics store that sells kitchen appliances. My guess is Good Guys, Harvey Norman etc. would all have them… x
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages - I am in love with my dehydrator and recently upgraded mine because we use it almost every single day. It arrives at my door stop this week – so excited! I love that we no longer waste anything and that I know that what I am feeding my kids is 100% pure. I have been madly recommending them to everyone I see.
Sash - They are fabulous things aren’t they?! 🙂
jennifer - When onions go on super sale, I stock up and dehydrate them sliced. Once dehydrated, I save them in jars. It is so easy to add a small pinch or handful to sauces and soup.
Virginia Kop - I have been thinking of growing some herbs, tomatoes, red onions and aubergines indoors this year [live in Northern part of England]. Herbs and parsnips have been grown before, and generally have no problems growing from seeds. If I’m successful then I shall have to try to source a dehydrator, don’t want to waste anything at all! Loving these new ides!