2 qts. watermelon shapes of your choice (peel the rind,
leaving a touch of red - cut with simple 1 1/2" deep
cookie cutters)
1/2 cup pickling salt
3 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 lemon, sliced and de-seeded
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp. pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag
Soak the rinds a day ahead... Stir the salt into 2 quarts
of cold water until is dissolves. Put the rind bits in,
cover, and let stand at room temperature for 6-12 hours.
Drain and rinse rinds with cold water, then put them into a
kettle. Cover with water and heat to boiling on high. Cook
on medium heat for about 15 minutes, until tender but not
soft. In another large, non-aluminum kettle, combine the
other ingredients and heat them to boiling, then simmer 10
minutes on medium-low. Drain the rinds again and add them to
this sugar mixture - simmer on medium for 30-40 minutes
until rind is transparent. Ladle rinds and liquid into
sterilized jars, then seal and process in a boiling water
bath.
