Watermelon rind pickles. Yes, watermelon rind pickles.

Growing up in Kentucky, there were several steakhouses that had fabulous salad bars - something relatively new back in the 1970s. One of my favorites on the salad bar (I was definitely in the minority on this one) was watermelon rind pickles. Yes, who knew you could make pickles out of the rind of watermelons. (BTW, I don't actually like watermelon - lol).

A couple of years ago, I decided to give it a try myself and found a great recipe. These are fabulous - sweet, hot, spicy, crispy.  You've got to try them. Yes, I KNOW it sounds a little strange, but trust me! (I usually make two batches at a time.)

Quick Watermelon Rind Refrigerator Pickles
Makes 2 pints

5 cups water, divided
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound of watermelon rind, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (should be about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1-2 cups sugar, depending on how sweet you like it (I usually use about 1 1/4).
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spice (you can find this in either the spice aisle or in the area where they have canning supplies - I use McCormick's Pickling Spice. Ask someone if you have trouble finding it).

Blanch rind:  Bring 4 cups of water and the 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, stir until salt dissolves. Add the rind, reduce the heat, and simmer until it is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Skim off any foam. Drain and transfer into a large, very clean bowl.

Make brine: Bring the remaining 1 cup water, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the vinegar, sugar and pickling spice to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Combine and store: Pour the hot brine over the rind. Use a small plate or a Ziplock bag partially filled with water (I use the Ziplock bag) to hold the rind under the brine. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the rind and brine into clean glass jars (I use Mason jars), cover and chill before serving. Keep refrigerated - they'll keep several months.

Never was there a sweeter corn

My Dad always had the best garden in all of Ohio County, Ky. Truth be told, he could have fed half of Hartford on the produce we threw away. I never quite understood why he planted so much – but it was probably because it kept him busy.

He planted all our favorites: tomatoes, green beans, butter beans, banana peppers, potatoes, squash, cherry tomatoes and green peppers, but it was his corn that kept me awake at night waiting for it to ripen.

My Dad had a magical way with corn. This is what he did: as soon as he was sure the last frost had glistened the dawn, he’d start planting two rows of corn every two weeks. He’d do this for about six weeks. This way, about the time we would finish eating the first two rows of ripened corn, the next two rows would be ready to pick – and so it would go all summer.

What made his corn that amazing? He’d pick it a good week and a half or two before the corn’s kernels were completely filled in. The result: this unbelievably sweet, tender corn that you literally wanted to hold in your mouth for hours. Forget corn on the cob – these kernels needed to be cut off the cob while capturing the corn milk that would literally ooze off the cob with the kernels. Then when cooked with a little bit of water, salt and a half stick of butter, it was literally like eating hot corn pudding. No dessert could compete with its sweetness – but that sweetness was all corn, no added sugar.

So this last weekend at the farmer’s market over on Columbus and 77^th Street, I spied these slender ears of corn (a sure sign that the corn hadn’t been allowed to fully ripen), husks still silky and green – so I grabbed six ears.  Tonight, I cooked that corn just as my Mom always did – and it was fabulous. When paired with good old-fashioned oven-fried chicken, it was meal fit for Kentucky.

It’s the first time since my Daddy died in 2001 that I’d been able to match the taste of Kentucky corn. What a blessing to have found something so simple, so enchanting, so much a reminder of my childhood days. For those who can find tender, sweet corn, here’s the recipe (if you can't find tender corn, don't bother):

6 slender ears of corn, as tender as you can find, cut off the cob
1 cup of water
Pinch or two of salt
Pinch of ground pepper
4 T. of butter (or a half a stick as we’d say in Kentucky)

Put all ingredients in a wide, shallow pan and cook covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Uncover, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until corn is tender. Serve hot!

Delicious!