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Watermelon Rinds Find A Second Life In A Delicious Depression-Era Pie By Javaria Akbar Sept. 23, 2025 10:09 am EST

Adisak Mitrprayoon/Getty Images

About to toss a bunch of watermelon rinds into the trash? Hold your fire! You can chop those leftovers up and turn them into a delicious Depression-era pie with a little culinary ingenuity, a dash of warming spices, and a batch of store-bought pastry.

In the 1930s, home cooks had to be creative with pantry staples because many couldn't afford or access expensive ingredients due to high unemployment and poverty. This led to the creation of inventive treats like the Depression-era water pie , which featured a filling made only of water, flour, sugar, vanilla, and butter. Watermelon pie (also known as watermelo

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