Common Threads, Labor and Watermelon Rind Preserves

Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves with quilting fabric

Waxahachie, TX

Labor Day last week was one of those early fall days when the sunshine sparkles and the wind cools. I spent it in Waxahachie, Texas, a charming small town just south of Dallas.

Downtown Waxahachie’s century old buildings house shops and restaurants. Just outside the town square is Common Threads Quilting, a store specializing in nineteenth century reproduction fabric.  I went to pick up some quilting supplies to make my first quilt.

Being in the play, Quilters, has made me think about how our great grandmothers lived. Their greatest capital was hard work. They took scraps of scraps and turned them into practical artistry.

Watermelon rind preserves are like that too. The pale green rind we throw away today was a treasure to our ancestors. Virtually tasteless, watermelon rind absorbs the flavor in which it is cooked. It becomes a blank canvas for creativity.

Last year, I won a ribbon at the State Fair of Texas for Watermelon Rind Preserves. Long a holiday tradition in our family, the recipe has been handed down for at least three generations. They were special because we knew how much labor was involved in the making. Watermelon rind preserves are tempting on ice cream, on freshly baked biscuits or straight from the jar.

I just won another ribbon for these preserves. This year, I made Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves. Chai spice blend is hard to describe, but never forgotten. The blend of cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cloves and cardamom is both exotic and familiar. 

After visiting the quilt shop, I took a stroll through Getzendaner Memorial Park. I brought a jar of preserves, hoping to find the right spot to photograph them.  A log had fallen conveniently into a ray of sunshine.  Perfect!

Fabric scraps, watermelon rind and a fallen dead log. Buried within all these seemingly worthless discards lies buried treasure. Labor is the key to unlock their practical artistry.  

Chai Spiced Watermelon Rind Preserves

Rind of watermelon

Alum

Water

For each pound rind:

1 cup water

1 pound sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

12 whole cloves, (or enough for two per jar)

6 green cardamon pods (or enough for one per jar)

6 cinnamon sticks (or enough for one per jar)

6 thin slices ginger, (or enough for one per jar)

6 black peppercorns, (or enough for one per jar)

Remove soft flesh and dark green skin from watermelon.  Chop watermelon rind into cubes. (One-half to one inch. Depending on your preference.)

Weigh rind.  Soak rind in alum water, using 2 teaspoons alum to one-quart water. Make enough alum water to cover rind. Soak one hour. 

Drain, cover in ice water. Soak another hour. Drain.

Place in large pot. Cover with fresh water. Boil 1½ hours. Drain again.

Place required amount of sugar and water in clean pot.  Cook 5 minutes to make a syrup.

Add melon rind, and cook until tender.  Add vanilla extract.

Pack into sterilized jars. Divide spices evenly among jars.  Process in hot water bath, 10 minutes for ½ pints, 15 minutes for pints.

My Oven Has A 'Tude

After searching for over a YEAR, I finally found a replacement coil for my oven!!! My very, very favoritest electrician, Chris Martinez, just installed it!! Woot! Woot!! Yeah, that's right. My oven is making a cool dude face cuz Mr. Oven is so hot! I see the future and there are cookies in it!!!

Shakespeare, Roosters and Prairie Womenfolk

Me backstage gettin' all Shakespeare-y

You caught me. I’ve been a bad girl. I haven’t been writing much, have I? Well, there’s a very good excuse. I’ve been cast in several plays back-to-back.

First, there was Shakespeare Dallas’ production of Cymbeline. I played Helen, lady in waiting to Princess Imogen (Jo Schellenberg). Me? Playing the part of a subservient lady in waiting? Now, THAT’S acting. Jo kept us well supplied with beef jerky backstage. It’s the perfect snack for actors; it’s high protein and doesn’t spill on our costumes.


Shakespeare Dallas is more of a family than an acting company. We had plenty of cast party suppers. Yeah. I know. I should have gotten recipes and taken pictures. My bad. Then again, the actors' recipes were probably closely guarded secrets. Chris Hury, who played Posthumous Leonatis, made wild boar empanadas and deer sausage for the cast parties.  There’s something about a man who hunts his own food that makes it a little intimidating to ask for a recipe. Intriguing, but intimidating.

Hat played by esteemed character actor, Brewster the Rooster

Then, in Art Centre Theatre’s production of Hello Dolly, I played blind-date-from-hell, Ernestina Money. Oh, the torture I inflicted on poor Horace Vandergelder (Doug Johnson). There are a lot of poultry references in the Harmonia Garden scene, so I made a rooster hat to wear.  Yep. A rooster hat.  Ladies of the Belle Epoche era put a lot of bird parts on their hats. Fashion. Humph. Go figure.  Brewster the Hat Rooster and the intoxicating scent of the nearby fried chicken restaurant left me craving chicken every night.

So, what on earth have I been cooking? Not much really. With such a busy schedule, I resorted to packaged pimento cheese spread. Don’t hate me. OK. OK. OK.  I promise I’ll do better next time. Off to the Dallas Farmers Market to stock up on produce.

Now, I’m in rehearsals for the musical, Quilters. It’s about living on the prairie in the 1800’s – from a female point of view. It’s made me curious to explore the food made by these strong, resourceful women. Perhaps a big pot of Cowboy Beans is in order. That’s how a food blogger should act.

What is this thing?

What is this thing? It was in the Easter candy section of CVS Pharmacy.  It must be something Easter-y, but what? The Blue Easter Earless Bunny Blob? The Easter Biomorphic Ooze?  The Easter Cushy Iceberg? The Easter Crazed Evil Eyed Godzilla?

Here's a closer view. The Easter Marshmallow Laura Palmer?

I bit the darn thing. It tasted kinda, sorta reminiscent of blueberry flavoring with extra chewy undertones.

Can you tell what it is?  Whatever it is, Happy Blue Bunny Biomorphic Oozy Iceberg Godzilla Day. May it be filled with extra chewiness.

Alder Smoked Golden Trout

Dear Auntie,  

I bet you do a mighty fine fish, what's your very favorite way to do fish?

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Ages ago, my friend, Shelley, came over for lunch. I took a golden trout, stuffed it with fennel, scallops, balsamic vinegar, then smoked it over alderwood. Nummers!

Enjoy!

Auntie

Alder Smoked Golden Trout

1 whole golden trout   
¼ cup fennel chopped fine
¼ cup shallot chopped fine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar, reduced 1 Tbsp*
1 tsp thyme   
¼ lb bay scallops   
salt & pepper to taste   

Debone fish, and butterfly. (You fishmonger can do this for you.)

Place vinegar in saucepan with the sprig of fresh thyme.  Reduce to 1 tablespoon.  Remove thyme.  Brush inside of fish with reduction. 

Mix fennel, shallot, scallops, salt and pepper.  Place in cavity of fish.  Skewer opening of fish and lace together with butcher’s twine.  Place fish in stove top smoker with alder chips.  Smoke according to manufacturer's directions until internal temperature reaches 140º. Remove from heat. Let rest 5 minutes (Carry over heat will raise the temperature to 145º.) 

Remove skewers and twine and serve.  Makes 2 -3 servings.