Did you know that dehydrating is the oldest method of food preservation? Dried fruits, spices, herbs, teas, vegetable chips, jerky and soup mixes are all made using this age-old technique, and can easily be made at home for a fraction of the store-bought price (especially if you grow your own!). 

Maybe you have too much basil, were gifted some lemons that you don’t have time to use, or know a fussy eater who doesn’t like veggies. Dehydrating can be used to solve all of these problems by preserving goods for seasons to come, producing foods that add a new dimension to meals, and by creating products that add hidden goodness to dishes. Homegrown and homemade treats also make great, personal gifts, that are also zero waste.

But don’t worry if you don’t own a dehydrator, all of the techniques discussed can be replicated using an oven.

This comprehensive and hands on workshop will cover the basics required to dry products at home including:

• Details about the three different methods of dehydrating (the sun, oven and different kinds of dehydrators.

• A discussion on the range of products that can be dried and other uses for dehydrators.

• Participants will be shown how to make their own natural bath bombs using only food grade ingredients and organic flowers. These make great frugal gifts and are a winner with kids

• Slicing and the different tools used to prepare foods for drying

• How to dry herbs

• An introduction to powders

• How to prepare and dry selected fruits and vegetables

• Storage of dried goods

• Rehydrating

• Plus plenty of tastings :)

You'll take home:

• Your own handmade bath bombs

• Comprehensive notes on dehydrating practices

• A collection of recipes

• The knowledge and practical experience to dry fruits, vegetables, herbs and powders at home

Cost: $60.00

Provided: All materials + notes + recipes 

Suitable for: Beginners - Intermediate dehydrators. No prior experience necessary.

Bring: Pen + paper for note taking.

The Teacher:
Laurie Green, founder of Crop Swap Sydney, has been growing edibles for as long as she can remember, and experimenting with their culinary uses for almost as long. With a background in design, community gardening, indoor growing and urban permaculture she is a strong advocate for sustainability, organics and creative frugality. Her zero-waste pantry is always a talking point amongst visitors and her dehydrator runs most days of the year.