Candied Watermelon

History

"Candied watermelon" (Sandía confitada) is documented as a home fruit-preserving recipe in La Mejor Cocinera, Recetas de Cocina, a Spanish domestic cookbook published in Madrid by the house Editorial "Saturnino Calleja". Our record lists the author as Anonymous; "Calleja" on the title page is the Madrid publishing house rather than a named recipe author. As printed, the recipe is brief: the watermelon is put on cooked and drained, and the pieces are then introduced into sugar syrup (almíbar) taken to the caramel stage, dipped in and out quickly and left to cool so they finish with a caramelized coating. It appears immediately after "Dulce de sandía," which candies the white part of the rind near the peel in strong syrup, within the book's "Dulce de frutas" (fruit-preserving) section. The book frames these fruit preserves as ordinary pantry-stocking for the household: its opening address "A las señoras" recommends that homemakers learn to prepare "toda clase de conservas" so the larder is always provisioned. Beyond its appearance in this cookbook, the historical record does not document a specific origin, inventor, region of invention, or social meaning for this particular recipe.

Ingredients

• watermelon
• sugar syrup

Instructions

1. Cook the watermelon and drain it thoroughly. Cut into pieces. Prepare a sugar syrup (almíbar) brought to the caramel stage. Quickly dip the watermelon pieces into the hot syrup and remove them immediately. Allow them to cool so they develop a caramelized coating.