Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Jerry on May 12, 2006, 00:13

Title: Food dryer
Post by: Jerry on May 12, 2006, 00:13

Has anyone else got a food dryer? I bought one last year for the purpose of drying fruit and veg, and found it really good. About the size of a microwave oven, it dealt with plum tomatoes cut in half really well, and you can do the thing with herbs and olive oil and make a pretty good substitute for those really expensive sundried tomatoes in the shops. Initial outlay is high though, about £110 I think I paid, but feel its worth it.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: Heather_S on May 12, 2006, 10:47

I've used my fan oven for that sort of stuff. Never knew they were so expensive  :shock:

Title: Food dryer
Post by: John on May 12, 2006, 11:38

What make etc was it?
We have a gas oven and leaving the door slightly open is not an option - burnt kitchen units and probably a cooked curious cat!

Title: Food dryer
Post by: Jerry on May 12, 2006, 23:47

Not sure of make John, it is Italian, got it from Ascott Smallholdings Supplies. Basically its a box, with open shelves that have a hole running through the centre and a fan which blows warm air through. Considered making one, but this was an easier option. There are instructions on the net of how to make solar dryers, if anyone is interested.
Used to use the fan oven, but can get as much into this dryer as I could the oven, also means that cooking can take place at the same time as drying.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: John on May 13, 2006, 09:30

I've got a plan for making a food drying box using a lightbulb as the heatsource. Must see if I can find it out and post it on the site.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: kooringa on May 14, 2006, 22:39

I looked at the expensive food dryers - but ended up paying £29 for one from Toschibo - it is brilliant.

I have dried all sorts of things and am really looking forward to drying some of them crops - especially making 'sun dried' tomatoes.

So far I have dried oranges, lemons, grapefruits, bananas, mushrooms, grapes etc.  

Really was a good buy.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: John on May 15, 2006, 00:00

What's Toschibo ? Price seems right :)

Title: Food dryer
Post by: kooringa on May 15, 2006, 12:19

It is a site on the web and they have shops too.  I found it on another forum.

will look it up and give you the link.

Just off to physio and acupuncture so in a rush

Title: Food dryer
Post by: Heather_S on May 16, 2006, 00:37

You mean Tchibo? I don't remember seeing a food dryer/dehydrator there. I do try to make an effort to look there every week on the way to the supermarket :)

Title: Food dryer
Post by: John on May 16, 2006, 09:49

I think she must - I will have to tell my better half about this place (she loves bargain shops) and have discovered there is one near to us.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: supersprout on May 24, 2006, 13:37

I just got one to cope with the expected glut of tomatoes :lol:
Worth a look on www.froogle.co.uk to compare prices, they seem to vary quite a bit. The ebay seller I found in the search was great, next day free delivery.

Title: Food dryer
Post by: stompy on May 24, 2006, 22:17

I found this on google.

Goto the search in the top right corner and type in how to build a food dryer.

Then click on how to build a food dryer, and then click on image gallery.

food dryer link (www.motherearthnews.com)

Title: Food dryer
Post by: John on May 25, 2006, 08:53

Thanks Stompy
I love Mother Earth News -  I just have to dig out Crosby, Stills Nash and Young to play whenever I look at it :)

It is full of wonderful stuff.