When I was growing up, tomato season meant my mom’s gazpacho—cold, tangy, and served nearly every sweltering day. With every spoonful, she brought Spain, and her own childhood, right into our California kitchen.

These days, I still make her recipe all through the summer and fall, but with one small, waste-reducing twist: Instead of the three or four cucumbers it usually calls for, I use watermelon rind.

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It turns out the pale green flesh we usually toss into the compost bin has a mild, refreshing flavor and is remarkably similar in texture to cucumber. The result is every bit as delicious as the traditional recipe, but with the bonus of reducing both waste and cost. Next time you slice up a watermelon, save the rind.

Because watermelon rind is firmer than cucumber, a hi

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