THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 15, 1994 TAG: 9412140019
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
DRIED FRUITS might be called the original convenience food.
Shepherds and nomads of ancient times often carried the fruits as sustenance, much as backpackers do today.
Dried fruits weigh less than their fresh counterparts, after all, and take up less space. The process of drying fruit to minimal moisture also prevents the growth of harmful organisms, and slows decay.
And dried fruits are available all year, not just in a particular season.
Dried fruits can be delicious out of hand. But they also lend texture in cooking, where fresh fruits might turn soft and mushy.
These luscious gems - from kiwis and persimmons to blueberries, cherries and apricots - are processed in different ways. Methods include sun-drying on flat trays in open fields, and mechanical drying in hot-air tunnels.
Some fruits, such as figs and dates, are dried on the trees before harvesting. Grapes, which become raisins, are cut fresh from the vine, in bunches, and laid to dry on paper in the vineyards.
Some processors of dried fruits treat the products with preservatives, such as sulfur dioxide or potassium sorbate, to help retard spoilage, repel pests or retain color and moisture.
L'Esprit de Campagne in Winchester, Va., produces and packages dried cherries, blueberries, apples and cranberries for snacks or baking. The products are available by mail-order.
Timber Crest Farms in Healdsburg, Calif., also sells dried fruits and other dried foods by mail, under the Sonoma brand name.
But check your grocery store or local specialty shop first. Many now carry a variety of dried fruits, including pineapple, peaches, pears and apricots.
Nutritionally, the products compare with fresh fruits, marketers says, though some add sugar and preservatives. Ask, or read labels.
There's still time to add dried fruits to your holiday baking, so here are a few recipes for year's end and beyond. MEMO: FRUITS BY MAIL
Many companies offer catalogs for ordering dried fruit by mail. A
sampling:
Timber Crest Farms, 4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, Calif. 96448.
Call (707) 433-8251. Or fax (707) 433-8255.
American Spoon Foods Inc., 1668 Clarion Ave., P.O. Box 566, Petoskey,
Mich. 49770-0566. Call (800) 222-5886. Or fax (800) 647-2512.
For information and recipes send a stamped, self-addressed envelope
to: L'Esprit de Campagne, P.O. Box 3130, Winchester, Va. 22604. Call
(703) 955-1014. Or fax (703) 955-1018.
DRIED FRUIT IN RECIPES
Here are some suggestions for using dried fruits in recipes, from
Timber Crest Farms in Healdsburg, Calif.:
Use half as much dried fruit as you would fresh. Since dried fruit
does not pack as well as fresh, be generous with your measurements - use
heaping portions.
For most recipes, the specified fruit has little extra water in is
fresh form. When substituting dried fruit, reconstitute the fruit using
equal parts liquid and fruit.
For recipes calling for fruit in sauces - compotes, dumplings and
toppings, for example - use twice as much liquid as fruit.
Instead of using water to reconstitute fruit, substitute a
complementary fruit juice. This enhances flavor and adds sweetness.
If there is excess liquid after fruit is reconstituted, drain it off
but don't throw it away. Try to reuse it as part of the liquid in the
recipe.
Fruit will reconstitute faster in hot liquid or if simmered. If you
prefer not to cook or heat fruit, it should be soaked for several hours
or overnight. Use a tightly sealed container that can be shaken or
turned over, which helps mix fruit and water.
The smaller the pieces of fruit, the faster they will reconstitute.
Shredded fruit will rehydrate quickly, usually in 15 minutes or so.
Diced fruit will usually take two or three hours. Whole fruit should be
allowed to soak overnight. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by Beth Bergman, Staff
by CNB