Dusted Off

I dusted off this.

It has been ages since I had dehydrated anything.  Probably almost a year.

With the chillier weather and a craving for something warm, last night I fired up the hot box.

Being that it runs for hours and hours it’s not the type of appliance I’d run in the summer since my small kitchen tends to get extra toasty when it’s on, but in the winter, I’ll take the “free” heat without turning on the heater.

I dehydrated bananas.  Ground-breaking indeed.

I don’t really “love” bananas just to eat.  I like them in banana-containing recipes but I am not one to just chomp into a banana for a snack.  Something about them plain, as is, that I just don’t care for all that much.

But give me warm, dehydrated bananas slices and I could single-handedly make the prices of Dole stock rise.

They are not pretty creatures in their wrinkly post-dehydrated state.  And night-time photography in an already dark kitchen is not a pretty experience either.  Gah, hate the shorter and shorter days.

But these ‘nanas are so good.  Chewy, sweet, warm little discs.

Dehydrating removes the water and therefore concentrates the flavor of whatever it is you’re dehydrating and in this case the banana slices get sweeter and richer tasting.

So perfect.

Questions:

1. What have you revisited or dusted off lately?

I dusted off my nifty fifty.  I still don’t “love” it but I’m liking it more.   I’d like a prime lens for food photography.  If anyone has one you love for food photography, holla.  Canon 35mm f/2.0 or 35mm f/1.4 anyone?  50 mm f/1.4  or 1.2?

I’ve also revisited these bars after not having them for about six months.  Happy I did.

2.  Do you own a dehydrator?  Want one?

As I’ve said in this post, I do not use my dehydrator much at all.  Nearly a year could go by in between uses.  I find the oven to be much quicker, more efficient, and dehydrators are very bulky and take up a fair amount of precious countertop real estate.

For the person who just wants to make cheezy kale chips or chocolate coconut kale chips you can make them in the oven, and I do make them in the oven with decent results, i.e. low oven 200F, door ajar if you wish, and wait and flip, wait and flip.

You’d be doing the same thing with a dehydrator, more or less.

That said, if you just have to have one, or you own one already and really adore yours, awesome!

I would personally spend $250 on a good food processor, a refurbished Vita-Mix, a Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer or other appliances before I’d allocate resources to a dehydrator.   Because those are some pretty pricey banana slices if you average it out based on how (in)frequently I use mine, but it’s fun when I do dust it off.

Thanks for the Natural Protein & Energy Drink Giveaway entries