June 13, 2012 | #121 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,553
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Thank you for the exra help. I just paid for the Excaliber before I checked here so it is done now. I got all the freebies that the US site was offering and free shipping within Canada so I think I have just what you have Kath. The lady here told me they don't sell the one with the timer because it is just a clockwork one and it easier to use the plug in one from the store, cheaper and easier to replace .
So it will be here in a few days. Thank you re the vacuum cleaner, I too am leaning towards the Miele. I have had Dyson in the past when we were over in the UK for a few years.My husband is the vacuum guy in this house and he hated it, in fact he gave it to my son when he got married. Maybe they are better now. I want something really powerful. I liked the idea of the commercial Eureka that ther hotels use but it is no longer made. Oh well next weeks treasure hunt!! Thank you all again, you are a great bunch. XX Jeannine |
June 13, 2012 | #122 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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Happy to help, Jeannine- hope you love it!
kath |
July 21, 2012 | #123 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Sacramento County
Posts: 40
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I read this thread and just started drying about 5-6 pounds of Sungold cherry tomatoes (cut in half). Also thought I'd post a link to some UC Davis information: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8116.pdf
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July 23, 2012 | #124 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific N.W.
Posts: 32
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My tips for dehydrating tomatoes are: wrap them in cheese cloth and spin dry them in the washing machine first (get's rid of major moisture fast). Next you dry newspaper or more paper towels in your dehydrator. You will need to check to see when they are almost dry often. when you can wrap one in plastic wrap without seeing steam, add these to whatever dish you want.
Side note: The dried toms can bye pulverized in a blender and used for many culinary projects. The resulting tomato powder can really boost the crappy bland taste of many summer tomatoes! |
July 23, 2012 | #125 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific N.W.
Posts: 32
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Opps I meant "winter tomatoes" just add the powder to salsas or wherever you requier the boost in flavor.
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August 13, 2012 | #126 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Eastern Shore of Maryland
Posts: 76
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dehydrator temp?
at what temperature should I set my dehydrator to dry my vegetables??
peppers carrots tomatos herbs thanks |
August 13, 2012 | #127 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: San Diego Coastal - Zone 10b
Posts: 204
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Peppers: 120 degrees - 12-18 hrs for halves, 8-12 hrs for slices and pieces
Carrots: 1/8" slices or small chopped - 12-18 hrs at 120 degrees Tomatoes: 1/8" slices or 1/4" cubes - 120 degrees 8-10 hrs, then turn slices and dry for another 6-8 hrs to brittle stage. Herbs: Depends. Most of them dry at 110 degrees somewhere between 4 and 12 hours, depending on type. You may want to do them separate from different herbs and veg as they can flavor other stuff in the dehydrator. Mine has flexible grid sheets that I place on the trays - it really helps with the smaller bits and anything that tends to stick like tomatoes or fruits. My fave book is Making and Using Dried Foods by Phyllis Hobson. If I had bought that one first I never would have needed another. Sadly it was the 4th dehydrator book I bought. It's the only one that says how to dry beet greens (most books say to toss them as they have no value dried!) and has instructions on drying parsnips and rutabaga - those are tough ones to find in most dehydrator books, but needed for those of us in warm climes without root cellars.
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Elizabeth If I'm going to water and care for a plant it had better give me food, flowers or shade. |
August 31, 2012 | #128 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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I'm experimenting. I had a huge crop of runner beans (picked as green beans) and am drying the blanched beans. Has anyone dehydrated green beans? Why do they need to be blanched first (or do they?)?
I'm also drying Pink Vernissage tomatoes. They're large-cherry size, prolific, and producing far more than I can make into fresh salsa. Next up will be zucchini and eggplant from the garden, apples, and maybe some carrots from the farmers' market. Do apples need to be dipped in lemon juice first? |
August 31, 2012 | #129 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 6a - NE Tennessee
Posts: 4,538
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We've been drying lots of Okra. After drying, we run it thru the processor. The powder eventually goes into soups, etc. The other small pieces we have been adding to homemade cornbread and drop biscuits.
We always do some tomatoes, sweet peppers, and onions. This year we also did some peaches and apples for winter munching.
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Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch |
September 1, 2012 | #130 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,593
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Has anyone dried blackberries?
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September 1, 2012 | #131 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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September 1, 2012 | #132 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NorthWest
Posts: 267
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I did black berries. I really don't rehydrate fruit, I prefer it dried. I won't do black berries again. They were almost nutty in a strange way. All of the black berry taste was gone and seed flavor was all that was left.
On the other hand, I will do raspberries again. I thought they turned out nice. They had raspberry flavor when you eat them dried and they were sorta fun to eat. Like raspberry flavored syrofoam. I have also done: peach fruit leather, apple fruit leather; cherries, bananas, lemons, limes, and oranges; basil, strawberries, tomatoes, squash, mushrooms and peppers. I just got my excalibur about 3 weeks ago and it has been busy! |
September 1, 2012 | #133 |
Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7
Posts: 2,821
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Ditto here to the blackberries and seeds. If you have a lot, you could make fruit leather or jam/syrup/sauce to can.
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Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal |
September 1, 2012 | #134 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: 5a - NE Iowa
Posts: 416
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I just finished some paprika peppers and some jalapenos for some good powders. I should have planted more paprika peppers.
I currently have in some zucchini chips dehydrating, never tried them before. Dean |
September 15, 2012 | #135 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Eastern Shore of Maryland
Posts: 76
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tomatos
red bell peppers thai chilis jalepenos thyme rosemary oregano sage marjorum basil and soon DEER JERKEY!! |
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