What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

[DragonsFriend]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

The Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans made beer from bread. It lasted longer and retained most of the carbs.

[DanieMarie]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Ok, sooooooo....apples and pears.

I went fruit picking a few times over the last few weeks and got a bit carried away. I managed to gather about 10 kg of apples and maybe 5-6 kg of pears. On top of that, my food co-op collects fruit and I got an additional 4 kg of both last week and 5 kg of apples this week. There are probably more apples and pears on the way over the next couple of weeks as well. I HAVE SO MANY APPLES AND PEARS!!!

I already made a batch of applesauce and I'm thinking about making some brandied pears and freezing some of the other pears in a sugar pack. I'll take a few of the more pristine ones and put them in the cellar to store for the next couple of months. Any other ideas of what to do with both of these fruits?

[iris]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Hmmm... I love baking with apples I have a recipe for fairly healthy cupcakes with apple and cinamon I'll translate if you'd like?
Otherwise, apfelstrudel I don't know how to make it, but it looks good. I don't know about pears though

[Rae'ya]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Ok, sooooooo....apples and pears.

I went fruit picking a few times over the last few weeks and got a bit carried away. I managed to gather about 10 kg of apples and maybe 5-6 kg of pears. On top of that, my food co-op collects fruit and I got an additional 4 kg of both last week and 5 kg of apples this week. There are probably more apples and pears on the way over the next couple of weeks as well. I HAVE SO MANY APPLES AND PEARS!!!

I already made a batch of applesauce and I'm thinking about making some brandied pears and freezing some of the other pears in a sugar pack. I'll take a few of the more pristine ones and put them in the cellar to store for the next couple of months. Any other ideas of what to do with both of these fruits?

Both apples and pears can be canned, if you have some jars and an oven. Or stewed (similar to making applesauce only you leave the chunks bigger and use more sugar) and then frozen. Maybe stew up some apple and rhubarb and keep it to use as pie filling down the track.

Or my personal favourite... dry them! I LOVE dried apple slices, and pears are also good. I've only ever done it in a dehydrator, so I'm not sure how well they'll dry in a low oven. But I assume it can be done.

You can also use apples along with other fruits for jam... eg apple and strawberry. I've never done this, so I don't know how it affects the amount of pectin you have to add, but I'm sure there's a recipe out there somewhere.

And of course if you could get hold of a juicer you could juice them.

[Munin-Hugin]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

I also saw something about pickled fruit, though I've never tried it (either the making or the eating).

[thalassa]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

I also saw something about pickled fruit, though I've never tried it (either the making or the eating).

We like pickled watermelon rind.

Or my personal favourite... dry them! I LOVE dried apple slices, and pears are also good. I've only ever done it in a dehydrator, so I'm not sure how well they'll dry in a low oven. But I assume it can be done.

The apples, definately...the pears, probably (I've not tried it).

[DanieMarie]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Hmmm... I love baking with apples I have a recipe for fairly healthy cupcakes with apple and cinamon I'll translate if you'd like?
Otherwise, apfelstrudel I don't know how to make it, but it looks good. I don't know about pears though

I'd love the cupcake recipe!

My boyfriend makes great apfelstrudel, so I'm sure we'll have that as well!

I may try to dry them. I only have an oven, but I'm sure I can find info on the internet. It's ok if I can't dry the pears, because I have a lot more apples than pears.

I'm not sure that jam is an option, because a) other fruits are not in season, so I have no access to things like rhubarb, strawberry, or pretty much anything other than apples and pears and b) we already have a lot of jam and we don't eat that much of it :/

[Munin-Hugin]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Drying in the oven is pretty easy. All you need to do is set it on its lowest setting and keep the door cracked open so as the moisture bakes off, it can escape. If the door doesn't stay open on its own, you Han simply put a folded up towel in one corner.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

I used to pickle oranges. And plums. Both were incredibly good! If you can find a recipe for either, do try them but remember to use white vinegar and not brown or pickling vinegar

[Ula]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

YOU NEED WORMS!!

I started one this summer and love it. So much can go in that thing. I already need a bigger bin and it's great on plants.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

I may try to dry them. I only have an oven, but I'm sure I can find info on the internet. It's ok if I can't dry the pears, because I have a lot more apples than pears.

If you dry the apples/pears, dip them in lemon juice so they don't turn brown.

[DragonsFriend]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

My mother used to make pear honey. It was like a thick apple sauce but used as a sandwich spread. You can do the same thing with apples. It is a water bath canning technique.

[magusphredde]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Chickens ... Don't need many ... One or two will do nicely even if just for pets ...

[B. de Corbin]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Chickens ... Don't need many ... One or two will do nicely even if just for pets ...

They make swell pets...

And they drop eggs. Cats don't do that.

[magusphredde]

Re: What can I do with....? The food waste reduction thread.

Roses and herbs love their poo ... And you can herd chickens ... sorta ...