Frozen fruit- no good if thawed?

el alacrán · Post by **el alacrán** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:40 pm

I'm hoping to bring a bunch of bags of frozen fruit out to the playa. If I just keep them in my normal ice chest and the fruit thaws, is it rendered inedible soon after thawing, or is it still fine, but thawed? I was hoping to avoid dealing with dry ice for it.

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:59 pm

First, it depends on the fruit. For instance, my dad freezes apricots in bags but adds lemon juice or they turn a funkly brown. I freeze raspberries in containers, they turn juicy and swim in liquid but are still tasty. Actually, I freeze them on wax paper on cookie sheets so they don't clump into one massive berry, then transfer them to freezer containers. I'd bet grapes and pineapple would be okay, try it beforehand!

Second, I think preparation is required, pitting and peeling and chunking, I have the feeling many fresh fruits go squishy if frozen "as is."

Do double bag all frozen fruits so they don't leak into the rest of your cooler stuff. Tape 'em shut to be certain. Freeze in whatever portion you're going to use, if you have a gallon of berries, freeze them in smaller batches, about a pint. I learned the hard way an entire gallon bag of thawed raspberries is quite a mess. That's why I go with the plastic freezer containers now. Sure they're bulky, but that's built in dishes.

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 4:59 pm

Home Ec departments are your friend:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5349.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distributi ... J0555.html
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/348-596/348-596.html
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09331.html

P.S. - you might also consider canning it. :->

el alacrán · Post by **el alacrán** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:05 pm

thanks for the advice...my plan is really a lot more simple, and my question is probably a lot more stupid than all this- I think I'm just gonna deal with chunked, pre-frozen fruit like pineapples and mangoes from the supermarket freezer section...maybe strawberries too. If I just leave those to thaw out for days in my cooler, will they become inedible?

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:18 pm

Supermarket frozen fruits should do fine. Just throw a bag of ice in the cooler now and again to keep the thawed fruit chilled. You'll still want to doublebag.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 5:06 am

We're deep into Blueberry Time here in Michigan- BBs freeze very well, especially if AntiM's raspberry protocol is followed. Some friends and family members freeze 30 or 40 POUNDS at a time, to be dragged out during the 10 month Winter.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:15 am

Canning implies glass jars, alas.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:51 am

I'm SURE that Phil would suggest avoiding glassware on the playa....Cutoff sections of 4" dia. EMT with arcwelded ends would be more apropos.

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:53 am

brandishing bullwhip Heh, you will all follow Anti M's Raspberry Protocol!

( Now if I only knew what that was ...)

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:56 am

AntiM wrote:brandishing bullwhip Heh, you will all follow Anti M's Raspberry Protocol!

( Now if I only knew what that was ...)

Actually, it was the name of this band I was in in high school.

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:01 am

Freezing and thawing peaches and nectarines causes them to turn into mush. Tasty, but squishy. Also, their skin tears right off after this process. This could be useful in a number of girly drinks though. Just a minor warning.

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:47 am

robotland wrote:I'm SURE that Phil would suggest avoiding glassware on the playa....Cutoff sections of 4" dia. EMT with arcwelded ends would be more apropos.

I am happy to say that Louise and I never eschew fine glassware, playa or not:
http://www.civex.com/carafe/

Louise bakes jar cakes in canning jars, which last all week on the playa in their moist, scrumptious original state (as long as they remain unopened). A wonderful dessert.
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/cakejar/cakejar.html
Louise uses the pina colada, pineapple upside down, and other recipies.

(The photographer will remain uncredited unless he or she steps forward to admit sharing a glass of the Smith Woodhouse port with us in our stemware. :->)

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:55 am

Will wrote:Freezing and thawing peaches and nectarines causes them to turn into mush. Tasty, but squishy. Also, their skin tears right off after this process. This could be useful in a number of girly drinks though. Just a minor warning.

The Home Ec people recommend rather extensive pre-freezing rituals meant to mitigate the squishiness.

Another trick not always available on the playa is to eat fresh frozen fruit while it's still semi-frosty, which means it's still firm, a little crunchy even.

Bringing well-packed frozen fruit in a dry ice chest, then using the frozen fruit as ice till it thaws sounds good to me. Louise makes a couple of quarts of gazpacho, freezes it. We use the frozen container as ice, then Louise serves chilled gaspacho when it finally thaws. I'd think chilled fruit on the playa would go down really nice whether squishy or not, whether in a girly drink or right off the plate.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:13 am

I tried some store bought pre-frozen strawberries last year and found them to be fairly nasty when thawed. They'd probably be great when blended or baked into something, but eating them straight was out for me.

I had great luck with canned and packaged fruit, though. The little plastic containers of pineapple were particularly good and don't generate much trash.

No matter what you do, try it at home first! Leave it in the freezer for a few days, then the fridge for a couple of days then eat it. Never bring anything to the playa that you wouldn't eat at home if it were sitting on the shelf.

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:09 pm

Dork wrote:>SNIP<
I had great luck with canned and packaged fruit, though. The little plastic containers of pineapple were particularly good and don't generate much trash.

Louise and I bring lots of canned fruit and juices. Running out of ice is never a problem when the stuff is canned.

Dork wrote:No matter what you do, try it at home first! Leave it in the freezer for a few days, then the fridge for a couple of days then eat it. Never bring anything to the playa that you wouldn't eat at home if it were sitting on the shelf.

Absolutely. Experimenting with food and anything else on the playa that you haven't tried at home first is an invitation if not to disaster then at least to unexpected and unpleasant results.

It's Burning Man, for pete's sake. Live _better_ than you live at home. Shop at
http://www.levillage.com/
and get _good_ stuff. (They have four pages of chocolates. Mmmmmm.)

omtaiyoqi · Post by **omtaiyoqi** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:48 pm

Frozen fruits when thawed no longer have the same taste and texture. As a long time vegetarian and vegan, I found they taste the best as smoothie or juice after thawed. I wrote a "Vegan Guide to Thriving in the Desert" that has a recipe list of smoothies for fruits, nuts, and green that you might find useful:

http://www.webarches.com/omtaiyo/rawvegan2.htm

Enjoy
Omtaiyoqi

el alacrán · Post by **el alacrán** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:01 pm

Wow....thanks everyone. This is a ton of good advice. My purpose is pretty simple and sinister- frozen, boozy blender drinks. Soooooooo, I'm thinking principally of frozen mango, pineapple and strawberry, bought in bags and kept as cold as possible. It's not to be eaten on its own, just mixed with booze and whatever other liquids I mix it up with.

If I go the whole nine yards and insist on freezing, does anyone know a good store for dry ice in Reno/Sparks? I heard there's a supermarket that actually sells it.

Thanks again for all the tips. Keep 'em comin'!

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:21 pm

I'm wondering if vacuum sealing your berries and chopped fruit might change the equation?

Frozen fruit- no good if thawed?

Frozen fruit- no good if thawed?

Best as SMOOTHIES or JUICE

Froot