Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Rind Pickles from Eat Real Fest

If you truly love something, let it go - and if it comes back to you it's meant to be yours.

Does this apply to recipes?

I had been all but devastated, after the high of the DIY workshops at the lovely Eat Real Fest last month, when my friend "Designer" and I by some cruel twist of fate had both lost our hardcopies of the recipe for the Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Rind Pickles that we both loved.

I told myself I would make do with the other watermelon rind pickle recipes I somehow managed to retain, but which were SO not the same as the one we actually made at the food fest - the one with jalapenos in it.  The one with outter calm and inner heat.  The one with zest. The Other recipes were like Mr. Right Now to me, but I yearned for Mr. Right.

But after months of searching through every place it could possibly be - I had resigned myself to the fact that it was lost forever.  I had dripped all over the first copy, ruining it, while at the event.  And I had made it a point to grab another copy - but lost that too.  And Designer's copy had vanished into thin air.  So I came to terms with the fact that it 'was just not meant to be', and let it go.

And then today - close to the official end of summer - I was cleaning out my car and there it was, when and where I least expected it.  Because life's funny like that. 

Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Rind Pickles
(source:  Eat Real Fest)

1. Cut watermelon flesh from rind.  Eat flesh and enjoy!
2. Cut the rind into small pieces
    -You can peel the rind or not
    -You can dice, julienne, chop, whatever you feel like
3. Cut jalapeno into thin slices
    -You can leave the seeds and cut rounds
4. Peel lime with vegetable peeler and then julienne the lime zest with knife
5. Prepare jars by adding to each:
      2-3 jalapeno slices
      2 allspice berries
      1/4 tsp kosher salt
      1/2 tsp lime zest
      rind to 1" mark on jar (just below the screw top threads)
6. When prepared fill your jar with brine*
7. Place lid on jar
8. Refrigerate.  Wait about 1 week for full flavor to come through.  Will keep in fridge for up to 3 months.  Always keep refrigerated!

*How to make brine:
•1 small sweet onion thinly sliced
•2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
•4 teaspoons peppercorns
•3 cups white vinegar
•2 cups water
•1 cup sugar
•3 tablespoons Kosher salt


Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, mustard seed, peppercorns, and onion. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let cook for about 5 minutes.