A Pickled DeLight

Written By Dee Dee Colabella

Foodies January/February

by CT State Student Frejnki Lawlor Designed by CT State Vida Goncalez

Pickled Watermelon Rinds
(The following recipe is taken from Huffpost)

Rind from 1 pound of watermelon

2 tablespoons salt

1 cup cider vinegar (white wine

vinegar will also work

in a pinch)

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice

Pickling is a delicious way to reuse the arguably worst part of a watermelon – the rind – giving it a tart, nutty flavor. Most ingredients are common and may already be in

your pantry.

Start with peeling the rind off the watermelon and cutting it into ½” x 2” spears. To speed up the process, you can ask a friend to help out. Fill a large saucepan with water, add half the salt and the rinds. Bring to a boil. Once boiled, strain and cool the spears.

While the spears are cooling, prepare the brine. This can absolutely be done in the same pot, saving you from having to wash another dish. Combine the rest of the ingredients and boil until the sugar has dissolved. After the sugar is dissolved, begin jarring the spears and filling the leftover space with brine. Do so until all the spears are jarred and submerged in brine. Refrigerate overnight, and they will be ready to eat in the morning.

This recipe is a wonderful way to save watermelon rinds from going to waste, and creates a wonderful snack that is salty, cidery, and tart. The pickles last up to two weeks, and the flavor grows more intense the longer they are kept. •

Dee Dee Colabella