Jen wrote:
> "sueb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Jen wrote:
> >> "Melba's Jammin'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> news:[email protected]...
> >> > In article <[email protected]>,
> >> > "Jen" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Just so you know -- I'm jealous as anything!
> >>
> >>
> >> You're right to be jealous - they are really good, they don't compare at
> >> all to bought ones. These have so much flavour. People have already
> >> been
> >> asking for some when they ripen, but it seems no matter how many I give
> >> away, there's still too much for everyone. Considering it was just 5
> >> years
> >> ago when we moved into this house and the tree was half dead, it's pretty
> >> impressive.
> >>
> >
> > I'm jealous too - it's my favorite fruit and it'll be 6 months before
> > they're good here.
> >
> > You can also dry them. Use the same process that people use with
> > apricots. This is great because you can use the windfalls and the
> > really gooshy ones that you might hesitate to put into a pie.
> >
> > Susan B.
>
> I was just wondering about that. What's the process for peaches? I don't
> know anything about it. Thanks
>
First - see if there are any commercial drying yards that will allow
you to bring in your own fruit. There haven't been any in my neck of
the woods for 20 years but you're in a whole different hemisphere!
If not,
Collect up a lot of wooden fruit boxes. Cut the peaches in half, take
out the pits. Arrange them in single layers on the bottoms of the
fruit boxes with the cut side up. (Depending on the size of the
peaches, you might want to cut each piece in half again.) PIck up some
"burning sulfur." Put about a fist full into a flame-proof container -
we used to use a cat food can. Put the container full of sulfer on the
ground. Stack the fruit boxes vertically on top, of the sulfur leaving
room between for smoke to pass through. Wrap the whole stack in heavy
plastic. Light the sulfur: it should burn for a few hours, keep the
plastic on the stack for a few hours more. Stay away from the fumes!
When they're done sulfuring, you break up the stack and lay the boxes
where they will get lots of sun. Turn the pieces over periodically.
Apricots dry in about three days, peaches will probably take longer.
The juicier the fruit is, the better the dried fruit will be.
Susan B.
