Using the Airing Cupboard
The Airing cupobard apart from being a store for the family linen or cupboard (to make sure that the same is all aired) has quite a lot of potential for using as a warm spot either to raise bread in or to dry fruit and herbs in as well as a place to dry rose petals or other flowers for pot pourri to be used later on in the year.
The airing cupboard in this house is in the centre of the house in my bedroom, but it is in fact the overhang on the stairs. It gets very warm in there and is a place that my cat Tyson likes to go in because he cannot be disturbed. It is dark and gets very warm.
So rather than waste this little resource I have started using it for drying my apple rings, drying my rose petals, making my bread rise. It makes sense to try and use what you have. What also appeals to me is that I am not having to pay anything extra out in order to do this, but making use of a resource which is already there. Every house is different and reacts differently so you may not be able to take advantage, but if you can make use adapt it for your needs in an effort to try and squirrel away those extra items for use later on in the year at a cost of next to nothing.
It also is a more cost conscientious way of acquiring or stock-piling things and building up
gradually. Things that are usually chucked away like orange peel, grapefruit peel, lime and lemon peels can be dried in strips or pieces for use in pot pourris or in stews and casseroles later on in the year.
I am using bamboo canes strung across the cavity between the shelves and the wall, you could use broom handles or indeed use strings and then thread your fruit to be dried on them. Strings are very good for hanging items off such as strings of chillis or indeed peel for drying.
Go on have a look see if you can use what you already have to add a little extra this or that to your "pantry" store.
The airing cupboard in this house is in the centre of the house in my bedroom, but it is in fact the overhang on the stairs. It gets very warm in there and is a place that my cat Tyson likes to go in because he cannot be disturbed. It is dark and gets very warm.
So rather than waste this little resource I have started using it for drying my apple rings, drying my rose petals, making my bread rise. It makes sense to try and use what you have. What also appeals to me is that I am not having to pay anything extra out in order to do this, but making use of a resource which is already there. Every house is different and reacts differently so you may not be able to take advantage, but if you can make use adapt it for your needs in an effort to try and squirrel away those extra items for use later on in the year at a cost of next to nothing.
It also is a more cost conscientious way of acquiring or stock-piling things and building up
gradually. Things that are usually chucked away like orange peel, grapefruit peel, lime and lemon peels can be dried in strips or pieces for use in pot pourris or in stews and casseroles later on in the year.
I am using bamboo canes strung across the cavity between the shelves and the wall, you could use broom handles or indeed use strings and then thread your fruit to be dried on them. Strings are very good for hanging items off such as strings of chillis or indeed peel for drying.
Go on have a look see if you can use what you already have to add a little extra this or that to your "pantry" store.
I mainly use my airing cupboard for the final drying of washing instead of a tumble dryer. In the winter, it's used a lot for bread raising. So I think I will try drying some of my pear glut this year.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to find someone else trying out this resource.
Thank you for your advice and tips!
Hi Elderberrytree,
DeleteI no longer have an airing cupboard as the landlord put one of these new boilers in which is located in the back bedroom. I do miss it. However I still do a lot of airdrying. I now have a proper dehydrator as well but prefer to put the more expensive items in the dehydrator for drying. The herbs dry well in little bunches strung up. I also believe that a solar dryer is also very effective. I also string chillies and mushrooms. The mushrooms are either used whole in casseroles, stews, soups or ground into a powder and a little added to the gravy or sauce for meals. Chillies I dry fresh and then use in my home made pickled onions or shallots. The herbs are used in stuffings and in meals, a pinch of this and that. Dried fruit can be incorporated into a dried fruit compote with orange juice or used in cakes or home made mueslis or granolas. Its good to do things for yourself and also make your food store/pantry a little different to everyone else.
Thanks for popping by.
Pattypan
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