I've learned something from making my first batch of damson prunes here at Struan Farm. Where, after 24 hours of dehydrating, the damsons still weren't dried. Okay, a few were.
I'd purchased a Sunbeam dehydrator from Briscoes. Basically, one that was easy to find after my first stop at Noel Leeming, who have stopped carrying them and referred me to Briscoes.
After this failed batch of prunes I sent out an SOS to my friend Heather at Country Trading down Nelson way. Heather grows, preserves, ferments, makes cheeses and dairy/non-dairy yogurts, and has a wonderful innovative online business selling products focused on such. I asked her where I went wrong, and about the different NZ made dehydrator Country Trading sells.
It turns out the motor on the less expensive one I bought is on the top, while the motor on the New Zealand made EziDri one she sells is on the bottom. And it turns out having the motor operate from the bottom works better to dehydrate food. Otherwise dehydrators are pretty much the same, with stackable plastic trays. It seems I should have done more homework.
I've ordered the EziDri dehydrator. With the tsunami of figs about to land I simply can't mess around. I also learned from a Country Trading FB post on prunes that they should be dried until hard and then rehydrated in tea or brandy for use.
We haven't wasted the semi-dried damsons, not entirely. While still quasi fresh they taste reasonably good with cheese and crackers. It makes me feel somewhat better. This is how one learns things, right?
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