Day 346: Well, there you have it: the Great Hardy Kiwi Harvest of 2018. Squirrels or raccoons ate all the rest while they were still quite small, but at least I got a sample. Older and wiser, I will booby-trap the vines next year. But with nights turning colder, the bounty from the remainder of the garden must now be put by for winter, and to that end, I've been experimenting with dehydrating various fruits and veg. Sungold cherry tomatoes dried very well at a temperature of 115 degrees, and I have a second batch going even as we speak. They will be wonderful in soups and on pizza. Yesterday's projects included making raisins from my Interlaken grapes, but the recipe's suggested time of 15-36 hours crisped them around the edges and they're not as tender as I'd like. (A friend suggested soaking them in rum to soften them up...I like the way she thinks!) Reducing the time to 10-12 hours will give a better product, and there are plenty more grapes to come. I also made salted chips from a crookneck squash. The dehydrating process concentrated the squash flavour in flexible strips with a texture reminiscent of dried apple slices. Today, I'm inventing, adding my own touch to the recipe using pieces of patty-pan squash dipped in thinned Thai red curry paste. No question, they will be delicious! I also picked enough mint for a batch of mint jelly, and the infusion is cooling even as I write, and I'll finish the jelly later today.
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