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Watermelon rind pickles, desserts flavored with peach pits, and jellies made from fruit or vegetable waste seem to be a long-forgotten relic of a different time. I’m here to say: it’s time to bring them back. Preferably with fun, modern additions and all wrapped up in a hand-dyed dishcloth! 

I’ve observed in myself this huge difference in my attitudes towards food when I make something myself rather than when I buy it. Food purchased at the grocery store just feels a lot more expendable than something I have grown, foraged, or processed myself. (I sometimes let that forgotten container of salad mix go off in the bottom drawer, but I’ll be damned if anyone even THINKS about discarding any of my precious nettle puree!) There is no denying that we have a huge food waste problem in our society, and I think the first step in reducing that is getting to the root of the problem: our collective attitude towards food as being expendable. This is obviously a position of privilege to have: this attitude means that you are secure enough in your food source that you can afford to be wasteful. 

It’s my hope that more and more people will be interested in making their own preserves, foraging for supper, and learning how to bake bread. These are all things I grew up doing and I’ve found that many of my friends are really interested in learning them! That gives me hope, because I think it gives them more perspective about food. I know that I am less inclined to throw out good food if my labor was involved in producing it. 

Let’s take that a step further and look to the kitchen scraps that we toss out without a second thought now and reconsider. There are so many uses for so many of them! You can save vegetable peels and extra herbs in the freezer to make a flavorful broth. Citrus peels are perfect for candying and adding to cakes and confections later on. And in the summertime, your compost bin might be ripe with things you could have transformed rather than tossing out. 

In this time of bounty, is there anything more delicious than fresh sweet corn, watermelon, and peaches? Actually, yes! Those summer delights are flavorful to their very cores, literally. Here are three recipes pulled from dusty old cookbooks and modernized to capture your attention today. These delicious treats are made from under-appreciated parts of summertime magic, so I paired them with some wild plants that are also underappreciated for a double-whammy of food wonder. Fall in love with bounty. Cherish it. Soak it up. Then, share it as far and wide as you can. These recipes are designed so that you can create four collections of them, nicely wrapped up in a flour sack towel dyed with, you guessed it, more kitchen waste and wild magic! Make sure to keep some for yourself too, since they’ll be a basis for some other great upcoming recipes. 

These recipes make: 

4 (6.6oz) bottles of stone fruit almond extract 

4 (8oz) jars of chanterelle corncob jelly

4 (16oz) jars of wild ginger watermelon rind pickles

Stone Fruit Noyaux (Extract) 

Did you know that the bottle of almond extract in your cupboard was actually made from bitter almonds or the pits of peaches or apricots? I remember breaking open a peach pit as a kid and smelling an overwhelming almond flavor, which was quite the surprise! It turns out that these pits are more “almondy” than actual almonds (which are in the same family.) 

In fact, these nutmeats, called noyaux when used as a flavored extract, have a long historical use of adding delicious flavor to all kinds of things! 

The bad news: stone fruit pits contain small amounts of  amygdalin (which turns into cyanide in the digestive tract), so you definitely shouldn’t be eating them raw. The good news: that compound is easily destroyed with the application of a little heat. (If you want to do more research on that, the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Food Safety Hazards guide is a good place to start.) We’ll be cooking our stone fruit pits to make this extract both safe and flavorful.

Note that when I’m talking about fruit pits, I’m talking about the almond-like nutmeat inside them, not the hard outer shell. I’ve found that a nutcracker works great at getting out apricot pits, and late-season peaches often have pits ready to split on their own. Otherwise, you can use a hammer to encourage the extraction process. 

You’ll need a fair amount of pits for this recipe. That’s great news if you’ve got piles of peaches or apricots to turn into jam or pies or any number of other delicious things. If not, you can totally just keep a bag in the freezer and stick your pits in there anytime you enjoy a stone fruit throughout the season, then process them all at once in late summer. Perfect! 

Makes enough for 4 (6.6oz) glass bottles

Ingredients: 

¾  c. chopped apricot, nectarine, or peach pit nutmeat, fresh

1 ½  c. water

2 1/2 c. brandy 

Directions: 

1. Add the pits and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated (be careful not to burn the nutmeat, though!) 

2. Transfer the cooked nutmeat to a clean glass jar and top with brandy. Let sit for at least 2 weeks - 2 months, or until it’s strong enough for your liking (I let mine go for months, but filter out little bits at a time to use in recipes along the way.) 

3. When you are happy with the intensity of your extract, filter it through a fine filter and then through a coffee filter to get a nice, clear extract. Use the extract how you would use almond extract - added to hot drinks, used to add flavor to baked goods, etc. 

   
   

Waterbath Canning: 

The next two recipes can be canned for longer storage, so here is an outline on what that means and how to do it. Canning your own preserves can seem really intimidating, but it’s actually much more simple than you might think! You can, of course, just store jams, jellies, and pickles in the fridge for a while, but this process makes them shelf-stable so they are good even a year or two later. There are a few important tips to note: 

1. Don’t Cut The Sugar, Vinegar, or Salt. Recipes that are formulated for canning contain these ingredients for a reason; they help preserve the food and prevent toxic bacteria from growing (like botulism). You can experiment with the flavors (like adding different herbs or spices) or even substitute similar fruits or vegetables (like replacing cucumbers for carrots or huckleberries for blueberries.) Just don’t change the proportions of these ingredients. Any canned fruits or vegetables that don’t have high enough amounts of these need to be pressure canned, which is a whole different process. Make sure you use recipes that are formulated for waterbath canning specifically. (Each recipe should also come with a processing time for boiling the sealed jars in water.) 

2. Use The Right Jars. Make sure you use jars that are designed for canning. I like Ball canning jars with 2-part lids. You can re-use the glass jars and the screw-on rims over and over, but it’s important to use new lids each time to get a strong seal. 

3. Keep Things Hot and Sterile. You’ll want to pour hot preserves into jars that have just been sterilized in hot water, then stick on the lids and put back in a hot water bath. It’s best not to let things cool off at any point in this process, both because it could shock the glass and cause it to crack and because you may be introducing harmful bacteria. Hot stuff, hot jars, hot water. 

4. You’ll Know If Things Go Bad. I think that one of the biggest fears people have of canning is that things will go bad and they won’t realize it. As long as you follow the guides above and directions below, things should be just fine! If you see any indication of strange colors or off-putting smells, toss it. 

You’ll Need: 

A large, tall stockpot or canning pot

Jar lifters or tongs 

Glass canning jars with fresh lids

Clean dishtowels

Dish soap

Recipe for some kind of preserves

Directions: 

1. Fill your stock pot with enough water that the jars will have at least 1” over the top when they are submerged. Put on the lid and start heating it on high. (It’ll take a while to come to boiling, so I like to start it first.) 

2. Make your preserves of choice. While your pickles/jam/jelly/whatever is cooking, wash the jars and lids you’ll be using with soap and water. 

3. Lay down a clean dishtowel on the counter (this helps control mess and cushions the jars a bit.) Set the jars out near the stovetop within easy reach. 

4. When your preserves are almost ready to be canned, stick the jars, bands, and lids in the boiling stockpot for 2 minutes to sterilize. Then use the tongs to pull them out and set them back on the dishcloth, letting any excess water drip out before setting them down right side up. 

5. Fill your jars with the preserves, leaving a ½” headspace at the top. If you spill anything on the side of the jar, wipe it clean with a clean dishtowel. Set the sterilized lids on top and screw the bands on until they are secure but not too tight. (If you turn them as hard as you can, the excess air won’t be able to escape and can prevent the jars from sealing.) 

6. Only fill as many jars as you can fit into the stock pot at one time. If you have more preserves, keep them warm and covered on the stovetop, stirring every few minutes. Then process a new batch of jars then. 

7. Once the jars are filled, use the jar lifter or tongs to gently and carefully lower them down into the boiling water so they are standing upright. Put on the lid and process for the given time (usually around 10 minutes.) Then, carefully lift them back out onto the dishtowel to cool. As they seal, you’ll start hearing little *pops!* as the jars seal. Let them cool completely, then screw the bands on tighter. 

8. Press the tops of the jars. There should be no give in the center of the metal lid. If there is, the jar hasn’t sealed properly and will need to be enjoyed right away or stored in the fridge for a while. Any jars that have fully sealed can be stored in the pantry for 1-2 years. Congratulations, you now know how to waterbath can! 

Chanterelle Corncob Jelly: 

Both corncobs and chanterelle mushrooms have pleasantly floral/earthy flavors, so they seemed like the perfect pairing for this unique jelly! I know what you’re thinking...mushroom jelly? It sounds crazy, I get it. But it’s delightful! Chanterelles have an amazing apricot-like floral fragrance that sets them apart from more savory mushrooms. They’re fantastic in deserts, like creme brulee and candied chanterelles. You can use any trimmings that are still firm and fragrant, or use up the crumbs in the bottom of your jar of dried chanterelles. Either way, this pairing is perfection. Just give it a try! 

For the corn cobs, you’ll want to steam the corn and then cut the kernels from the cobs to use in a different recipe. Those corn kernels can be frozen for future use, or you can do the opposite and just stick the cobs in the freezer anytime you make something with the kernels. They impart a floral, sweet flavor that tastes wonderful slathered on a warm biscuit or bun! 

Makes enough for 4 (8oz) glass canning jars

Ingredients: 

12 large corncobs 

Small pinch saffron 

1 c. fresh chanterelle trimmings, or ¼ c. dried

4 c. water

1 package powdered pectin ( 1 ¾ oz) 

4 c. sugar

Directions: 

1. Add the corncobs, saffron, chanterelles, and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered for 10 minutes. 

2. Discard the cobs and strain the liquid through a cheesecloth. You’ll need 3 cups of liquid for this recipe, so add water as needed

3. Pour the strained liquid back in the stockpot and whisk in the pectin. Bring back to a boil and then add the sugar, stirring frequently, until it returns to a boil. Skim the foam off the top periodically. You can test the “set” of the jelly by putting a little bit on a chilled plate and seeing how it sets up. Once the thickness is to your liking, pour the jelly into sterilized glass jars and store in the fridge, or waterbath can for 10 minutes.

Wild Ginger Watermelon Rind Pickles: 

When’s the last time you’ve eaten the rind of a watermelon? If you’re like most people, it’s probably been a long time, maybe never! But that white section of watermelon is a great sponge for taking on the zesty flavors in these sweet pickles. These pickles are also really beautiful, with a gorgeous transluscency and subtle pink coloration. 

You can make this recipe anytime you cut up a watermelon. If you’re looking for some tasty ways to enjoy the pink flesh, try out my Watermelon Poke recipe, or go for a delicious Sorbet Sandwich!

I’ve added wild ginger (Asarum caudatum) to these pickles for its lovely flavor, which is a bit more floral and citrusy than the ginger root we are more familiar with. I adore wild ginger. It is a beautiful plant with dark green heart-shaped leaves that grows in moist environments in the Pacific Northwest. The fragrance alone is absolutely enchanting! The rhizomes, stems, and leaves can all be used to impart its complex and delicious flavor to various recipes. 

*IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATION*: wild ginger is mildly toxic, but there are certainly safe ways to work with it. After all, coffee, spinach, beans, and many other beloved foods are also mildly toxic - it’s all about the dosage! According to this very helpful resource, you’d need to eat literally pounds of fresh wild ginger every day for months to experience dangerous effects. That said, it’s best to enjoy in moderation, and I recommend using it like you would use a bay leaf: for flavoring rather than ingesting it directly. The aristolochic acid that can cause those bad effects is barely soluble in water. (It’s more soluble in alcohol and vinegar, though, which is why this recipe has a two-part process of extracting it in water and then combining the infused watermelon with the rest of the ingredients.) If you are concerned, I highly recommend doing your own research at the link above, then making your own choice about using it. I personally feel that, used in this way and in these amounts, it is perfectly safe (and delicious!) You could also just substitute about 1 Tbs. of minced ginger root instead, though. 

Makes enough for 4 (16oz) glass jars 

Ingredients: 

4 lbs. Prepared Watermelon rind (see step 1.) - from 2 medium or 1 large watermelon

1 c. salt

¼ c. dried wild ginger rhizomes, stems, and/or leaves

3   c. white vinegar

1  c. fresh lime juice

4 c. water

8 c. sugar

4 sticks cinnamon

2 lemons, thinly sliced

2 tsp. Spicebush berries (or one each of whole allspice and cloves) 

Dash of nutmeg

Directions: 

1. Trim watermelon rinds as needed to remove the skin and most of the pink portions, leaving a little stripe of pink on each. Cut it into pieces that are 2” long and ½” thick. 

2. Make a brine by mixing the salt with a gallon of water. Soak the rind overnight in this mixture. The next day, drain and rinse the rinds in fresh water. 

3. Put the wild ginger in some cheesecloth and tie it up into a little bundle. Fill a large pot ½ full of water and add the wild ginger, then bring to a boil. Add the rind and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Rinse out the pot and discard the wild ginger. 

4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the (now empty) pot and bring them to a boil, stirring often until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rind a few pieces at a time so as not to lower the temperature of the mixture too much. When it’s all been added, cook until the rind is translucent, about another 40 minutes. 

5. Transfer the mixture to sterilized glass jars and store in the fridge or waterbath can for 12 minutes.  

Goldenrod and Onion Skin Floursack Towels: 

While you might not be able to eat yellow onion skins, there’s another fantastic use for them: they make a gorgeous yellow dye for cotton dishcloths or towels! Goldenrod is also a great dye source, so I’ve combined the two for extra depth. Normally, I would recommend having designated pots and spoons for natural dyes, but since these are both nontoxic sources, it’s safe to use your normal cooking tools as long as they are non-reactive (like copper.) This is a two-step process: scouring the fabric and making the dye, then dyeing the fabric. 

This makes enough to dye at least 4 floursack towels, and more if you don’t mind them being a little lighter in color. 

You’ll Need: 

4 clean dishcloths woven from natural fibers like cotton 

White vinegar

Two large, non-reactive pots

Alum (you can find this in the spice isle; it’s used for making crisp pickles) 

Cream of tartar 

2 cups chopped goldenrod flowers

2 packed cups yellow onion skins 

String and rubber bands for decorating, optional 

Directions: 

1. Fill one of the pots ¾ full of water and add ½ c. white vinegar. Add the dishcloths and bring to a boil, stirring often. Then turn off the heat and let it cool enough to handle. Rinse the dishcloths well and hang to dry. 

2. Meanwhile, start the yellow dye. Add the goldenrod and yellow onion skins to the other large pot with ½ c. white vinegar and fill the pot ¾ full of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on. Let sit overnight. 

3. The next day, prepare your towels for dyeing. If you want a solid yellow color, you don’t need to do anything. If you want some patterns, you can scrunch it together and wrap with string, use rubber bands to pinch sections together to create starburst patterns, or even fold and clamp the fabric to create patterns. (Look up “shibori techniques” for more ideas!) 

4. Strain the dye into a clean pot and stir in 2 tsp. Alum and ½ tsp. Cream of tartar. Moisten the towels in water and squeeze out, then add them to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, continuing to stir. Turn off the heat and cover the pot and let sit overnight. 

5. The next day, pour out the dye and rinse the floursack towels in clean water. Untie any of the string or rubber bands and wash the towels with just a little dishsoap in a sink of warm water. Rinse completely and dry and they are ready to use (or gift!) 

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