We made them when we lived in Iowa and less frequently after moving to California. Do you add cinnamon sticks for flavor? I have not had them in years but tried a small bottle of store bought some years ago, not even close and expensive. Your posts always trigger good memories for me, thanks for the reminder.

I think I have only had watermelon rind pickles once. I think that my grandmother made them. I was a teenager and thought they were just horrible!

I have wondered since, if whoever made them, didn't have a clue to how they should have tasted or what.

I remember thinking that there must be a better use for the rinds, like feeding the birds. It just goes to show...different stokes for different folks.

I'm glad to hear that some people find them good.

I've never eaten nor made watermelon pickles, but when I was a child--and then, for my own children--what was really fun was making teeth from the rind. We all looked as if we had severely deformed mouths--but it was lots of fun.

Yes, George, the newer seedless melons are pretty good. Just finished a good one. Our Acme keeps having the small ones on a sale for 79 cents. Yup.. cents. They're not always sweet, but for that price it's usually worth a try. This one was great and it was big for a round one. I was thinking that the rind was pretty thick and would be worth pickling. I didn't have any pickling supplies on hand so I passed.

Glad to hear some folks are getting good-tasting seedless. I'm a fan and willing to pay for anyone to grow them, so I don't mind paying store prices for a tasty delicacy. I've bought four of them this year (different times at different stores) and unfortunately, all were just blah. Actually, one tasted so bad I spit out the bite, cut it up and put it in the compost. That's a waste of money and I haven't bought another one since.

Watermelon pickles are yummy if you like cinnamon-spicy pickle-y foods. Yes, the best are made with cinnamon sticks and then put at the back of the pantry for a couple months so the flavor can develop ~ opening the first jar on T-day is about the right time. I usually buy a really big seeded melon and invite everyone over for a fest :) but I've also just bought the occasional half and froze the rinds until there were enough to make the recipe. The interim freezing doesn't affect the taste or texture, just be sure to cut into the right size chunks before sticking the bag into the freezer.

Hmmm, think I'll go visit the farmer's market on Thursday and see what they have. Surely someone is growing Moon&Stars or the old-fashioned but tasty Rattlesnake.