I had a bit more cherry tomatoes than we could eat or my coworkers could eat, so I tried dehydrating them. First couple of trays were Black Cherry - very tasty tomatoes that will be planted again next year.
And then couple more trays were Yellow Pear - also tasty. All sliced in half and dried for about 12 hours and then put into the fridge. They should keep a long time.
And while this is not exactly preserving, I was able to get outside for a bit and pick some Black Trumpets - very tasty mushroom. Some people tend to be a bit more sensitive to it and end up with upset stomach, but since it doesn't affect me I was very happy with this alternative protein for dinner. This Sunday we'll go look for Chanterelles so I can stash some in the freezer for winter.
Wow those trumpets are really nice size!! I'm also glad that I don't have any sensitivity. We made pizza using our trumpets and chants - oh so tasty! I hope you'll have a good amount of chants this weekend!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I hope to find quite a few of them since we had few rains over the weekend and early in a week. And I love making trumpets in pasta dishes, but will have to try it on pizza.
DeleteDried cherry tomatoes are quite yummy. I no longer have a dehydrator so I don't make them anymore but they were a regular part of the annual "putting food by" process when I did have and use one.
ReplyDeleteI also make them in an oven at 225 for about 5 hours and it works just as well :)
DeleteJenny, I have some cherry tomatoes that someone left next door when I cleaned that will go in the dehydrator tomorrow. Unfortunately they are from the store but since I don't grow them I have none of my own. How dry did you let them get and how will you use them?
ReplyDeleteI made two batches, one is dry to the bone and stored in a material bag as any dry goods, the other is slightly dried but not completely - I placed it in jar and covered with oil to store it - it's in the fridge. When I'm ready to use them I'll toss them in soups, put on pizza or just rehydrate with water and mix into stirfry. They also good as snacks.
Deletevery neat! i am going to have to try that this year
ReplyDeleteI hope you like the taste :)
DeleteThose dried cherry tomatoes are going to make you very happy when the long winter days set in! They are like candy....but better!
ReplyDeleteI hope so, there are many of them to get through :)
DeleteI didn't know you gathered mushrooms. We gathered our first mushrooms last fall. It was exciting! We hope to do it again this season.
ReplyDeleteJody - I've been gathering mushrooms all my life since I was a todler. My mom made sure we knew what is edible in the forest and in the fields as we were growing up. We always picked mushrooms from spring to late fall and stored them for winter together with berries, nuts and wild fruit.
DeleteJody - not sure what location you're in, but several places reported early season for Hen of the woods - Maitake! Indiana region reported it yesterday. I'm going to look for chanties tomorrow.
DeleteSure wish I had extra tomatoes to dry for winter use. How wonderful that your Mom gave you such knowledge about mushrooms and other edibles in the forest and fields.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try and dry regular tomatoes as well and see how they'll come out. And in Europe foraging and gathering is a natural and expected way of living :)
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