Here’s one way to preserve the taste of summer: Whip up some pickled watermelon rind.
The sweet-and-sour concoction is the latest addition to Brooklyn Whatever’s lineup of jarred fruits and veggies — an offering the mother-and-son duo behind the company never expected to make.
“We were getting requests for pickled watermelon rind from Palm Springs to North Carolina,” says Rachel Shamah, 60, who started Brooklyn Whatever with her son, Abe, about three years ago. “We never heard of it. But we decided if people were asking, we should look into it. And kaboom! It took off.”
The two call their pickled specialties “Shpickles,” a play on their last name. They also make Shnacks and Shpreads.
“The watermelon rinds were an acquired taste,” says Abe, 30. He’s now a convert, enjoying the rind with ice cream or Greek yogurt. Other fans say it’s great with cheese and crackers or on sandwiches. Here’s a version of their recipe to make at home.
“Shpickled” watermelon rind
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized watermelon
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. powdered cloves
1 tsp. powdered cinnamon
3 cinnamon sticks
Instructions:
Prepare 4 clean, 16-ounce Mason jars. Cut watermelon in half, and scoop out red fruit, leaving behind 1/4-inch of fruit. (Reserve scooped red fruit for another use.) Use a peeler to remove the rind’s tough, green exterior skin, then cut remaining rind into 1-inch cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch cubes for 3 minutes, drain, then submerge in a bowl of cold water to cool. Drain again and place cubes in jars.
Make brine: In a medium-size saucepan, stir together remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, strain out cinnamon sticks and pour brine into jar to cover rind. Seal and store at room temperature for three days in a cool, dark space. Transfer jar to refrigerator and enjoy pickles within two weeks.
