Tag: watermelon

Old-Fashioned Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Salad in bowlI’m still enjoying locally-grown watermelon, but know that the season will end soon. I came across a lovely hundred-year-old recipe for Watermelon Salad that bridges the summer and fall seasons, and decided to give it a try. This salad contains watermelon cubes that are coated with sugar, warm fall spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), and orange juice.

The Watermelon Salad was delightful. The cozy, warm cinnamon and nutmeg on the refreshing,  juicy cubes of watermelon reminded me a bit of the apples in apple pie – though the texture was different. This salad is a lovely fall treat, though it would also work well during the summer (and, during any season, since watermelon can now be purchased year-round).

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Watermelon Salad
Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

When I made this recipe there was a lot of  liquid, so I drained the salad before serving. Additionally, I skipped lining the bowl with lettuce.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Watermelon Salad

  • Servings: 2 - 3
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

2 cups watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 tablespoons orange juice

Step 1. Put the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl; stir until combined.

Step 2. Put the watermelon cubes in a bowl, then sprinkle the sugar mixture over it.

Step 3. Pour the orange juice over sugar mixture and watermelon; stir gently, then let sit for a few minutes.

Step 4. To serve, drain excess juice and put in serving bowl(s).

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-Fashioned Watermelon Rind Pickles

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Friday, September 20, 1912:  Don’t have much for today.

watermelon pickles

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

I continue to enjoy making foods that were popular in central Pennsylvania in the early 20th century. Since Grandma didn’t write much I’ll tell you about my latest cooking endeavor.

Pickled foods were incredibly popular a hundred years ago.

I  decided to make old-fashioned watermelon pickles—and they looked lovely and tasted great.

It was a three-day process, but well worth the effort.

Old Fashioned Watermelon Pickles

4-5 quarts watermelon rind

Water

Salt

2 cups apple cider vinegar

7 cups sugar

1 tablespoon whole cloves

3 sticks cinnamon

1 inch cube of fresh ginger

Select watermelon with a thick, firm rind. Cut off the outer green skin, and remove the red watermelon flesh, leaving a very thin layer of pink. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place in a 2 gallon glass  bowl or crock. (I used 2 smaller bowls).

Cover with a salt water solution (2 tablespoons salt to 4 quarts water). Cover and let stand for 24 hours at room temperature.

After 24 hours, drain and rinse with cold water. Cover with ice water. Let stand for 1 hour, then drain.

Place the rind in a large pan, and cover with boiling water. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.

Put spices in a cheesecloth bag. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in large pan. Bring to a boil. Add rind. Simmer until rind is translucent.

Put rind and syrup into large glass bowl or crock. Cover; and let stand for 24 hours at room temperature.

Remove spice bag. Drain off syrup, put into a pan, and heat to boiling.

Pack the rind into hot pint jars; cover with the hot syrup, fill to 1/4 inch of top. Wipe jar rim and put lid on.

Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Makes approximately 6 pints.