Recipe Manuscript

Eingekochte Wasser-Melonen

Name: Eingekochte Wasser-Melonen
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 12
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 medium watermelon with thick rind (approx. 1.5-2 kg rind); 100g salt (for brining); Food-grade alum (aluminum potassium sulfate), 10g (substitute: omit if unavailable; texture may be softer); Granulated sugar, 500g per 500g rind; Water, as needed; Fresh ginger root, about 10g, sliced thinly; 1 lemon, thinly sliced

"Preserved Watermelons"

1897

From the treasured pages of Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche

Written by Henriette Davidis

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1897

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Eingekochte Wasser-Melonen

"Man nimmt eine Melone mit dicker Schale, zerschneidet dieselbe in beliebig geformte Stücke, legt letztere 24 Stunden lang in starkes Salzwasser, worauf man dieselben 24 Stunden lang in klarem Wasser weichen läßt, jedoch muß bei letzterem Verfahren das Wasser oft erneuert werden. Zunächst werden nun die Stücke eine Stunde lang in Alaunwasser gelegt, um fest zu werden. Zu jedem Pfund Frucht wird ein Pfund Zucker genommen. Der Zucker wird zu Syrup gekocht, und demselben einige kleine Stücke weißer Ingwerwurzel sowie eine in Scheiben geschnittene Citrone beigefügt. Nachdem der Syrup gekocht ist, nimmt man die Ingwerwurzel und die Citrone heraus und legt die Melonenstücke hinein. Letztere werden nun so lange gekocht, bis sie durchsichtig geworden sind, dann behutsam herausgenommen, in Einmach-Krüge gethan und schließlich der Syrup darauf gegossen."

English Translation

"4. Preserved Watermelons. Take a watermelon with a thick rind, cut it into pieces of any desired shape, and place these pieces in strong salt water for 24 hours. Then soak them in clear water for another 24 hours, making sure to change the water frequently during this process. Next, place the pieces in alum water for one hour to firm them up. Use one pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. Boil the sugar into a syrup, adding a few small pieces of white ginger root and a lemon sliced into rounds. After the syrup has boiled, remove the ginger root and lemon, then add the watermelon pieces. Cook them until they become transparent, then carefully remove them, place them in preserving jars, and finally pour the syrup over them."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the straightforward, sequential style typical of 19th-century German cookery, assuming familiarity with kitchen processes (like brining, soaking, and syrup-cooking) and common sense regarding measurements and timing. Spelling modernizations may include 'Wassermelonen' instead of the older, separated form 'Wasser-Melonen.' Terms like 'Alaun' (alum) are still known today, although use for home preservation is less common. The concise instructions reflect an expectation of basic culinary experience among readers rather than step-by-step beginner guidance.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Henriette Davidis praktisches kochbuch für die gewöhnliche und feinere küche (1897)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Henriette Davidis

Era

1897

Publisher

C.N. Caspar

Background

A beloved staple in German kitchens, this practical cookbook by Henriette Davidis serves up a rich array of recipes ranging from everyday fare to refined culinary delights. Immerse yourself in traditional techniques and timeless flavors, all artfully presented for both the ordinary and ambitious cook.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from Henriette Davidis’ influential 'Praktisches Kochbuch,' a beloved late 19th-century German cookbook designed both for bourgeois and aspiring middle-class households. Published in 1897 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the book catered to German immigrants in America seeking both practical advice and a reassuring taste of home. At the time, preserving fruits and vegetables was essential for surviving lengthy winters. The process of candying watermelon rind, as in this recipe, was both thrifty and a way to create elegant, colorful preserves — turning kitchen scraps into a delicacy for family tables or festive occasions.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks at the time used large ceramic or stoneware bowls for soaking and brining, heavy enamel or copper pots for syrup preparation, and long-handled wooden spoons to stir ingredients. Alum would be measured by hand or small scoops, and sugar was weighed on kitchen scales. The final preserves would be packed into glass or stoneware jars or 'Einmach-Krüge,' then sealed with parchment, wax, or glass lids, depending on the technology available.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 medium watermelon with thick rind (approx. 3-4 lb rind)
3.5 oz salt (for brining)
Food-grade alum (aluminum potassium sulfate), 0.35 oz (substitute: omit if unavailable; texture may be softer)
Granulated sugar, 1 lb per 1 lb rind
Water, as needed
Fresh ginger root, about 1/3 oz, sliced thinly
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Instructions

Begin by selecting a watermelon with a thick rind.
Slice the rind into pieces of your desired shape, removing as much red flesh as possible while keeping a bit for flavor and color if you like.
Submerge the rind pieces in a strong brine (about 3.5 oz salt dissolved in 1 quart of water) for 24 hours.
After brining, rinse the rind pieces and soak them in clear, fresh water for the next 24 hours, changing the water several times to remove excess salt.
Then, soak the rind for 1 hour in 'alum water' (about 0.35 oz food-grade alum dissolved in 1 quart of water) to firm them up.
Rinse well.
For every 1 lb of watermelon rind, prepare a syrup by combining 1 lb granulated sugar with 1 1/4 cups water.
Bring to a boil with a few thin slices of fresh ginger root (about 1/3 oz) and one whole lemon, thinly sliced.
Simmer until lightly thickened, then remove the ginger and lemon slices.
Add the prepared watermelon rind to the hot syrup and cook gently until the pieces become translucent and glassy, which may take 30-60 minutes.
Carefully transfer the cooked rinds into sterilized glass jars, pour the hot syrup over them, seal, and allow to cool before storing.

Estimated Calories

200 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend most of your time waiting for the brining and soaking steps. Active prep takes about 30 minutes, and cooking takes up to 1 hour. Each serving has around 200 calories, and this recipe makes about 12 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.