Recycle That Watermelon Rind

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After the rind has soaked, rinse it well and cover it with cold water. Then cook the pieces of rind until they're just tender and drain them again.

Now tie the appropriate spices—for whichever recipe you're using—into a cheesecloth bag. Combine them with the remaining ingredients called for by the recipe and simmer all the natural preservatives and flavorings for 10 minutes. Then add the watermelon rind and again simmer until it becomes clear (add boiling water if the syrup gets too thick during this cooking process). Once the rinds are transparent, remove the spice bag, and pack the pickles—boiling hot—into sterilized jars (leave only 1/8-inch head space). Screw the caps on tight or—for smaller batches that you'll use up quickly—simply refrigerate . . . and you're done!

Now if we could only think of a way to make use of the green outer shell . . . tan it for moccasins, maybe?

ORIGINAL WATERMELON RIND PICKLES

This one has a nice lemony flavor and is a pretty pale-yellow color.

2 tablespoons of whole cloves
3 sticks of cinnamon
2 pieces of ginger root
1 lemon, sliced thin
8 cups of sugar
1 quart of white vinegar
1 quart of water

OZARK LIME PICKLES

You'll find this a bit spicier than a sweet pickle. It's also attractive with its celery seeds floating around.

1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of celery seed
(do not tie in bag)
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
9 cups of sugar
2 quarts of vinegar

SWEET ICICLE PICKLES

This was, originally, the formula for fourteen-day sweet pickles.

1-1/2 tablespoons of mixed pickling
spices (available at almost any grocery store)
5 cups of sugar
5 cups of vinegar

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