at my house, we hardly ever throw anything away (unless it's something that
we are really going to need in a week or so, it seems!).  so i found this
article on drying fruit in a back issue of Organic Gardening:

'There Must Be 50 Ways to Dry Your Harvest'
OG, Sept/Oct 1992, p. 49-50, by Mike Ferrara
        "Too pooped to pickle?  Freezer and frig full to the brim?  Consider
drying some of those overabundant fruits and veggies.  Removing most of the
moisture from your bounty protects it from most of the organisms that cause
spoilage.  You don't need elaborate equipment either -- this simple,
efficient method of food preservation was used long before the advent of
commercial food dehydrators; electricity even!
        If you do forego these highly effective modern conveniences, the one
thing you *will* need, however, is time, especially if you opt for the 100%
natural option that shines down on us for free -- the sun.  Happily, these
hot dog days of August and early September are just perfect for sun drying!
Just be sure that the temperature is in the 90's, the humidity is less than
60% and you stick to high acid foods like fruit and tomatoes (most
vegetables are low-acid and could spoil before they dry).
        Wash and cut the food you'll be drying; start with fully ripened
whole, unbruised produce.  Don't bother drying underripe or overripe fruit
-- food will taste good after drying only if it tasted good before drying.
A few surface blenmishes won't hurt, but discard any moldy or
insect-attacked sections.
        Before drying fruit such as peaches, apples and bananas, dip them in
a solution of 6 crushed 500 mg vitamin C tablets in 2 cups water (or use a
commercial ascorbic acid preservative) to prevent them from turning brown.
Don't forget to remove the pits and seeds!
        To use solar power for drying your food, gather a few trays or wire
racks together and set them on a picnic table or rooftop.  Never use
galvanized screen for drying trays; it's treated with zinc and small amounts
of lead.  Plastic or stainless steel works best.  Wrap the food-filled trays
with cheesecloth to keep off the insects and birds (or build somethng like
the compact solar food dryer we described in the Sept/Oct '91 issue).
        Place the protected trays in the sun for 3 or 4 hot days.  (The
smaller you make the pieces, the faster they will dry.  And if you take care
to cut your slices uniformly, the entire tray will dry at the same rate.)
Stir or turn the pieces daily and take the trays inside before sundown each
day or the food will absorb moisture overnight.
        If you want to be entirely on the safe side, you can pasteurize the
finished product by heating the dried goodies on trays in a 160 degree F
oven for 30 minutes before storage, or freeze your dried food for at least
48 hours (this will also kill any insect eggs).
        Speaking of your oven, this universal appliance is another way to
dry food (or to complete the sun-drying process if the weather turns cloudy
or wet).  Preheat the oven to 140 degrees F, place the trays in the oven but
leave the door slightly open to allow some air circulation.  Convection
ovens work best (their fans keep the air moving).  Turn the food every hour.
When the pieces look dry, test a few by cutting through the centers -- they
shouldn't be stored until they are completely dry.
        Storing dried food in tight-lidded glass containers (small canning
jars or recycled mayo and pickle jars, well-clenaed) works best, because
you'll be able to see any remaining moisture (that you'll then need to
remove) in the form of condensation on the walls of the jar.  Small amounts
of dried food can also be kept in tightly sealed plastic bags.  Whatever you
choose, store it in a dry, cool, dark place.'

next page includes details on making fruit leather out of strawberries (also
plums, peaches, apricots and cherries); drying wild mushrooms, cranberries
and watermelon; and making your own raisins.  i'm tired of typing, but can
post this stuff if anyone wants me to.

bye, JoAnn.