Wednesday, March 27, 2013

April 6th: Dehydrating Food Workshop

Dehydrating Workshop on Saturday 6 April with Maggie 
hot chillies drying for later

Dehydrating: Sucking the juice out of food. Or, in more techno speak, a food processing technique that extracts the moisture in foods, thereby inhibiting the growth of microorganisms facilitating the preservation of food for indefinite periods. 

Dehydration is one of the oldest methods of food preservation – going back to prehistoric people who sun-dried seeds. At the workshop there will be no experts. Just a lot of folks sharing experiences. 

Different styles of dehydrating machines will be on display as well as examples of delicious dehydrated food stuffs like: beef jerky, fruit and vege strips, as well as some surprises. 

Did you know you can dehydrate soups and even complete meals? 

So this workshop is perfect for everyone, no matter where you fall on the dehydrating experience scale. 

 Bring a little something to share for morning tea and it’s not necessary for it to have been dehydrated! 

Please email/phone Maggie if you wish to attend for full address of workshop in Leura. 

Hope to see you there. maggie53@aapt.net.au 4782 2441

BLUE MOUNTAINS FRUIT CALENDAR

We can harvest a wide range of fruits and nuts locally each season.

Local fruit and/or nut gardeners are invited to make additions or suggest modifications to the following work-in-progress compiled by Lizzie Connor.


SPRING HARVEST

Across the mountains: loquat, mulberry, rhubarb, strawberry and (in late spring) raspberry

Best in the lower mountains: avocado, jaboticaba, lemonade


SUMMER HARVEST

Across the mountains: apricot, blueberry, boysenberry, cherry, currant (red, black, white), gooseberry, kumquat, loganberry, loquat, mulberry,nectarine, peach, plum, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry and (in late summer) almond, apple, fig, hazelnut, passionfruit, pear (incl. nashi), pomegranate, youngberry

Best in lower mountains:lemon (Eureka), lemonade, lime, mandarin, orange, persimmon (non-astringent) and (in late summer) avocado, babaco, macadamia, rockmelon, wampee, watermelon

Best in upper mountains: jostaberry, lemon (Meyer), persimmon (astringent)


AUTUMN HARVEST

Across the mountains: almond, apple, chestnut, feijoa, fig, grape, hazel, kiwi fruit, kumquat, medlar, olive, passionfruit, pear (incl. nashi), plum, quince, raspberry (some), rhubarb, strawberry, strawberry guava, walnut

Best in lower mountains: avocado, babaco, cherimoya, grapefruit, lemon (Eureka), macademia, monstera deliciosa, orange, pine nut, pistachio, rockmelon, tamarillo, walnut, watermelon, white sapote

Best in upper mountains: lemon (Meyer), mandarin (Satsuma)


WINTER HARVEST

Across the mountains: apple, hazelnut, kiwi fruit, kumquat, pear (incl. nashi)

Best in lower mountains: grapefruit, lemon (Eureka), orange, tangelo

Best in upper mountains: avocado (Bacon), lemon (Meyer)