Lulu's Watermelon Pickles

Here's the first of my Mum's recipes and I apologize that I cannot post a picture of these. We've no watermelon here right now. However, I think this is a timely recipe. A lot of you probably have watermelons available and perhaps even have been throwing away the rind! Imagine that! Here's the cure for your overflowing garbage can or compost pile! Lulu lived through the Great Depression and tried to never throw any usable food away.

When I want to make these, I store the rind in the fridge until I have enough to make this recipe.

Watermelon Pickles

- Peel and cut rind into 1" cubes until you have 10 C. of cubes.

- Soak the cubes overnight in 2 quarts of water into which you have dissolved 6 T. of salt

- In the morning, drain the rind cubes well.

- Add fresh water to the pot and cook cubes until tender.

- In another pot, heat to boiling:

4 C. Sugar

2 C. White Vinegar

- In a piece of cheesecloth or a cheesecloth bag put:

6 sticks cinnamon

2 T. Whole Allspice

2 T. Whole Cloves

- Put cooked rind cubes and spice packet into the syrup.

- Simmer 45 minutes until rind is transparent.

- Pack into hot jars and cover with syrup up to 1/8" of the top. Wipe any syrup from the edge of the jars. Seal at once.

Makes 3 quarts or 6-1/2 pints of pickles.