The low temperatures
of your dehydrator are
ideal for ripening milk into
cheese. Cottage cheese
is unripened cheese -
that is, it has not been
aged. Hard cheeses,
on the other hand,
are pressed, dipped in
paraffin wax, and aged.
Longhorn, cheddar,
Colby, and Romano are
all hard type cheeses.
In addition, there are
the semi-hard or soft
cheeses: Scamorze,
Neufchatel, and cheese
spreads. These are
generally milder in flavor
than the hard cheeses
and are only aged for a
short time, if at all. Refer
to Excalibur’s Preserve It
Naturally Book for more
directions on making
cheese.
Your dehydrator can help satisfy your creative cravings by shortening the drying times for ceramics, dough art or decoupage.
potpourri
Nearly any garden blossoms, leaves, herbs, spices or cones can be used for potpourri. Fixatives must be added to the potpourri to prevent the
fragrances from evaporating. orris, benzoin, calamus and oak moss are common fixatives. using scissors, cut only unblemished herbs and flower
heads; one decaying leaf or petal can destroy a whole potpourri. Spread the petals or herbs sparsely over the drying trays. Try to avoid drying
both at the same time to prevent the distinctive fragrances from mixing. Dry for 6 to 8 hours at 110°F/43°C until dry and brittle. Let cool.
photographs
Treat and wash as usual; then shake or blot off the excess liquid. Place on the dryer trays. Dry until no wet spots remain. Note: Dry only
photographs that have been printed on resin-coated stock; other paper types will crinkle unless pressed flat.
pomander Balls
These charming, old-fashioned aromatic delights dry quickly and easily in a dehydrator. For each pomander, select a ripe, attractive apple,
lemon, lime, or orange. using an ice pick or awl, punch holes evenly all over the skin of the fruit and push a whole clove in each; the skin should
be completely covered. Roll the ball in a mixture of 1/2 oz ground cinnamon, 1/2 oz ground allspice or nutmeg, 1 teaspoon powdered orris
root, and a sprinkling of glitter. Thoroughly coat. Let it stand in the mixture for several days, turning occasionally. Next arrange on a Paraflexx®
sheet and place in Excalibur dehydrator with the thermostat set at the lowest temperature. Dry till shrunken and
lightweight; then tie a long ribbon or cord around it for hanging..
Dried Macrame Beads
With a little ingenuity, you can dehydrate vegetables for use as beads in macrame and other crafts.
Dough Art
Dough art is a fun craft for children and adults. Roll the dough, coil it, braid it, stamp it, or press it to make
wall plaques, napkin rings, jewelry, figurines, small sculptures, and even Christmas tree ornaments.
CHEESE
PoTPouRRI, ARTS & CRAFTS
Cottage Cheese
WhAT YoU NEED:
1 gallon of pasteurized milk and either
4 tbsp. unflavored yogurt made in your dehydrator
1/2 cup fresh buttermilk, or 1/4 tablet of rennet (an enzyme) dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
hoW To pREpARE:
Pour the milk into a crock and warm it to room temperature, about 72°F/22°C. Mix in the yogurt, buttermilk, or
rennet and cover the crock with cheesecloth. Place the crock in the dehydrator and hold the temperature
inside at 85°F/29°C for 12 to 18 hours until clabbered. Clabbering means that the milk has separated to form
thick, solid “curd” and watery, liquid “whey.”
When the milk has thickened into curds and a little whey lays on the surface, the cheese is clabbered. Now
your next task is to cut the curd as follows. use a long-bladed knife and make all cuts approximately 1/2”
apart. (1) Holding the knife vertically, make straight up and down cuts across the curd. (2) Now slant the knife
and make diagonal slices down through the cheese following the cuts of step 1. Make the first cut at a 45”
angle, but gradually straighten the blade so that the last cut is nearly vertical. (3) Repeat the process of step
2, only slant the knife in the opposite direction. (4) Turn the crock 180°F/82°C and make a final set of vertical
cuts to form a crosshatch pattern on the surface. This cubing process helps the sour whey to drain out.
The Final Steps. Place several inches of water in a large pan, set the crock in it, and heat to 115°F/46°C.
Hold the cottage cheese at this temperature for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. once the time is up, line a
colander with cheesecloth and pour in the curds and whey. Allow the whey to drain off; otherwise, it will give
the cottage cheese a bitter taste. To get rid of even more of the sour taste, dip the colander in cold water
and gently stir the curds to wash away the last traces of the whey. Let the curds drain thoroughly. If desired
add 1 teaspoon salt per pound of cottage cheese and 4 to 6 tablespoons of cream. After refrigeration, your
cottage cheese will be ready to eat as is or in fruit salads, dips, cheesecake, and casseroles.
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