Dehydrating Food

Intensity of flavour has to be the number one reason for dehydrating foods. Although, of course, it originated in ancient times as a simple but effective means of preserving foods through the lean winter months, now it’s more about the fact that taking out the water not only means bacteria can’t grow, it also produces some radical transformations, concentrating both taste, texture and goodness. Plus, it still means you don’t have to waste any seasonal gluts but can instead easily transform all kinds of foods into handy storecupboard items, from fruit strips that make a great lunch-box snack to dried mushrooms to sprinkle into a risotto to intensify the flavour.