Casaba: The Wrinkly Melon

It's a wet Saturday morning here where I am so probably not that fun to head out to the farmers' market. So we'll do it virtually! This is a photo of casabas, a melon that has this really interesting thick wrinkly skin. I thought they were so interesting-looking when I saw them last Sunday at the Civic Center farmers market in San Francisco. They're supposedly on the mild side and have a long shelf life because of its skin. I tried a sample at the stand and it was like a mushy honeydew. I like the name, though, casaba.

Visiting the Market With The Best
Did any of you read the New York Times article in this past week's Dining Section? The food writer got Alice Waters to come to her Brooklyn home to cook for her. How do I get that gig? I know Waters can be a pretty controversial figure, but I have to say she really loves the farmers market and it shows in an accompanying video to the story. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out here. It's like watching someone fall in love again and again.

Alice Waters photo and video courtesy of the New York Times Web site.